Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Tories’ licence to leech
Over-75s may pay... but MPS get it free
FURIOUS campaigners last night hit out over wealthy Tories claiming free TV licences while Britain’s struggling pensioners face having theirs axed.
Millions of over-75s may have to fork out £150.50 to watch television after the Government handed over funding for the lifeline to the BBC, despite pledging not to scrap it.
It is feared the corporation will not be able to afford the annual £720million bill.
But the Mirror found at least 53 Tory MPS have charged taxpayers £8,855.87 in a year to buy licences for their constituency office TVS.
National Pensioners Convention general secretary Jan Shortt said: “It’s unbelievable that these MPS were happy to pass the buck to the BBC to take away the TV licences from our most vulnerable people, but were happy to claim it for themselves.
“Such blatant hypocrisy will leave millions of pensioners fuming.
“Clearly it’s one rule for them and another for the rest of us.”
Age UK charity director Caroline Abrahams added: “One in four of older people view the television as their main form of companionship. It is a lifeline. It was inappropriate for the Government to shift responsibility for this benefit on to our national broadcaster, with no public debate.”
Culture Secretary Jeremy Wright billed the public for a licence three weeks before last year’s election, as Attorney General. His predecessor in the culture job, Karen Bradley, and Esther Mcvey were among Tories claiming the fee. They acted within the rules and MPS of other parties got the perk. But the Tories stand accused of double standards as the decision to hand the funding to the BBC was seen as a ploy to blame the service for axing it after Theresa May’s manifesto pledge to keep it free.
The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority said: “MPS can claim for a TV licence for their constituency office.”
Mr Wright’s spokesman said his TV licence was “a legitimate business expense.” A spokeswoman for Mrs Bradley added: “The TV licence is for use in her constituency office.”