Government bullying BBC with licence threats, says ex-chairman
mother, Karful Nessa, “would cry in the middle of the night” and was so depressed family members would have to sit with her.
Ms Begum said: “I see them in my mind.
“The only thing I can think of is them, not my husband or my own children.
“It has destroyed my life — I cannot watch the television or see a film without something triggering back to what happened.”
THE Government has left itself open to accusations that it is bullying the BBC, the corporation’s former chairman has said.
Lord Grade’s spoke out on the Today programme after Culture Secretary Nicky Morgan signalled the possible end of the licence fee while denying the BBC was under attack.
“The Government is presently very unhappy with the BBC’s coverage of Brexit, so to bring all this forward leaves them open to criticism,” the ex-chairman said.
Asked if the move was an “attempt to bully” the BBC, he replied: “It certainly feels like it. I’d say this to the Government: be very careful. The British people love the BBC. They love to hate it sometimes, but they love the BBC and will support it.
“If they feel the independence of the BBC is being threatened, they will not take kindly to it.”
Lord Grade said the suggested decriminalisation of non-payment of the licence fee was a tricky issue, adding: “If you put the BBC on a subscription model, it will only make the programmes that it thinks will drive subscriptions.
“At the moment, the BBC is able to take phenomenal risks with programming. It is a nursery for talent in this country.”
He denied he was an uncritical friend of the broadcaster and stressed he had lodged “a number of complaints” over the years.
“The BBC, when it’s under criticism, it hides, and I’m very critical of the BBC for that,” he said.
“That’s completely wrong because it expects everyone else to come on and be accountable.”
Baroness Morgan previously said the licence fee would remain in place until the end of 2027.
“However, we must be open-minded about the future beyond this point,” she added.
The Culture Secretary also refuted any suggestion that the Government was attacking the BBC because of perceived slights during the last general election.
A spokeswoman for the BBC, which is due to celebrate its 100th birthday in 2022, said the licence fee ensured an “independent broadcaster”.