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Tory-backed group launches ‘Defund the BBC’ campaign

LONDON, ENGLAND - NOVEMBER 13: The BBC headquarters at New Broadcasting House is illuminated at night on November 13, 2012 in London, England. Tim Davie has been appointed the acting Director General of the BBC following the resignation of George Entwistle after the broadcasting of an episode of the current affairs programme 'Newsnight' on child abuse allegations which contained errors. - Oli Scarff/Getty Images

A Tory-backed group has launched a campaign to ‘Defund the BBC’ by telling homeowners how to “legally cancel” their licence fee.

Tens of thousands of people are due to receive a leaflet which claims viewers who only watch ‘on demand’ programmes, apart from the BBC iPlayer, do not have to pay for a licence.

The document, called “The BBC is broken”, is emblazoned with the slogan: “You do not have to pay”, and claims the corporation has failed to keep up with the pace of new technology.

It adds: “Over recent years the BBC has cared less and less about its duty to provide impartial content that unifies and reflects the British people outside the M25.”

It adds that viewers can “legally cancel their licence fee now”, although does not go into detail about the legal aspects of their claim.

Defund the BBC is supported by Conservative MPs including Andrea Jenkyns, Ben Bradley, Lee Anderson and Christian Wakefield.

Rebecca Ryan, campaign director of the London-based group, said: "Defund the BBC is working to inform the British public on how they can cancel their TV licence without fear of prosecution.

"The BBC's system for catching and prosecuting non-licence fee payment disproportionately affects women and the poorest and most vulnerable in society. This must stop.

"Decriminalising non-payment of the licence fee is only the first step. It is totally unreasonable to force people, by fear of imprisonment, to pay the BBC in order to watch non-BBC live TV."

The £157.50 annual television licence is secure until December 31st, 2027. However, in February the Government announced a public consultation on whether non-payment of the licence fee should remain a criminal offence.

The highest paid BBC stars in 2020
The highest paid BBC stars in 2020

The consultation is also looking at possible alternative enforcement schemes that could make watching television without a licence a civil (rather than criminal) offence.

Currently, anyone who watches or records live TV or uses BBC’s iPlayer without a TV licence is committing a criminal offence and could go to prison.

Research suggests that many of those who are convicted are the poor or vulnerable who often struggle to make ends meet and find a criminal conviction makes life even harder.

A BBC spokesman said: “The licence fee continues to ensure the BBC is an independent, universal broadcaster, committed to serving everyone and to investing in British creativity.

"It is the agreed method of funding the BBC until at least 2027. There’s always debate about the funding model and we’re happy to do that – but the right time to do that is as part of the next Charter discussions.”