End of free TV licence for over-75s ‘cruel’ and ‘heartless’ – Margolyes
VETERAN actress Miriam Margolyes has criticised the “cruel” and “heartless” end of the free TV licence for over-75s, and accused Boris Johnson of a “dereliction of duty” on the issue.
Her comments come 75 days before the universal entitlement is due to be scrapped and replaced with a means-tested benefit.
Margolyes, 78, said many pensioners will be faced with the possibility of having their “friend” – the TV – taken from them. She hit out at the Prime Minister for not responding to a petition of 630,000 signatures, which was delivered to Number 10 Downing Street seven months ago.
The star, who is an Age UK ambassador, said: “Boris Johnson should have responded by now. It’s a dereliction of duty.
“He clearly has other things on his mind at the moment and that I do understand, because the
Veteran actress accused Boris Johnson of a ‘dereliction of duty’.
health of the country has got to come before anything.”
But she said there had been enough time to respond, and added: “The Prime Minister... is just not coming to the table.”
Margolyes described the Government’s position as “vindictive, political hardplay,” adding: “It’s outrageous and must be fought.”
Pensioners are “going to have to choose between paying for their licence and having that bit of extra money to buy food, pay for heating and live their lives.
“It’s an intolerable and difficult choice,” she said in a video for Age UK. “The Government and BBC are at loggerheads at the moment and the piggy in the middle are the pensioners. The people over 75 are being punished.
“It’s disgraceful and I think it is the Government’s responsibility to care for its old people.”
Margolyes spoke out as the Government threatened to end the licence fee altogether, and turn the BBC into a subscription service.
Her comments also came after BBC chief Lord Hall admitted it is “conceivable” that 90-year-olds could end up in court for nonpayment of the licence fee, but added the broadcaster “absolutely does not want” that.