BBC has never been more important

A RECENT study by Ofcom, the media regulator, whose boss is appointed by the Government, shows that 70% of adults using social media say they are aware of fake news when they come across it, but when tested only 20% can really tell fact from lies online, whether it concerns advertising or politics.

If the majority of us can be easily manipulated, it underlines our need for an institution that provides verified information and debate from several sides. Maintaining the

health of that institution should be a must for politicians of all parties. It is the BBC that has been doing this job for decades but is now threatened with destruction by our Minister of Culture, Nadine Dorries.

Along with the NHS and, until recently, our Social Security system,the BBC was one of the key elements of our national wellbeing. In addition to stimulating citizens’ thinking here, the BBC World Service is genuinely “worldbeating”. Its news coverage is second to none, giving the UK influence across the globe. Given that the recent Royal Tour (William and Kate) had some negative aspects, recognized by William in his end of tour speech, the BBC becomes even more important to fly the flag across the world. One of the opportunities that our Minister for Brexit Opportunities, Mr Rees-Mogg, has identified is to “increase our global influence” now that we have chucked away much of our influence in Europe. So Mr R-M should be a robust supporter of ‘Aunty BBC’.

Given this significance inside and outside our country, why is it that the Government repeatedly attacks the broadcaster and intends to make it a commercial station, like so many others, by 2027?

Conservatism used to be defined as “the best of the old with the best of the new”. When applied to broadcasting, that principle is being shredded along with so many other former basics of the Tory Party, such as family values(!), care for our rural communities and honesty. How can we have a real democracy if Ministers want to hide from searching interviewers? Why is commercialisation now regarded as the basis for our national life? At least we haven’t had any recent monstrous outbursts such as Lady Thatcher’s “There is no such thing as society”.

But our universities, still clinging on to their global reputation for quality, are now only praised if they give students “value for money”.

The NHS faces increasing pressure to make profit for the sections that have been privatized. Our schools are dominated by academy chains, where the bottom line often seems to be the only proof of “success”.

Was the national rail system that much worse than the passengerexploiting short-termism that typifies many of the privatized rail companies? As for our football; should we tolerate a system where Russian oligarch funds, stolen from the Russian people, financed a team playing another that was funded by a leader from a nation that recently executed 81 “political critics”?

To suggest that we can easily make a U-turn in society’s direction is a profound challenge but so much is unstable, partly because of M Thatcher’s conviction that the market should dictate everything.

Surely we now see how false that policy was? Zero hours contracts and the shockingly rapid decline of our society into a tiny number of incalculably wealthy narcissists and the enormous number of our citizens who are now facing untold economic hardship proves that we got it wrong. Keep public service broadcasting with the BBC and bring back a humane society. How desperately our children and grandchildren will need both. Jeremy Hall

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