BBC less and less in favour in the North, says Dimbleby

THE BBC is “less and less in favour” in the north of England, David Dimbleby, one of the corporation’s grandees, has said as he called for poorer households to pay less.

The former presenter of Question Time on BBC One suggested linking the licence fee to council tax, which would ensure that families living in smaller homes would pay less than those in larger properties.

A debate about how to fund the BBC after 2028 was started this week by Nadine Dorries, the Culture Secretary, saying that it would be unacceptable in future to threaten people with prosecution if they do not pay for the fee.

Speaking to the BBC Radio 4’s World at One programme, Mr Dimbleby said: “The licence fee is something that I absolutely believe in – I don’t believe you can have public service broadcasting without paying for it through the public purse in that way. But the BBC should acknowledge that £159 paid for by the poorest as well as the richest is just unfair – it’s inequitable.

“There’s a simple way that the BBC can get on the front foot on this which is by suggesting the licence fee gross figure should not be paid flat rate by everybody but richest should pay more and the poorest less.”

The broadcaster added: “I do think the BBC needs to acknowledge that as you move further north, [it] is less and less in favour and there must be a reason for that which we need to explore.”

Julian Knight, the Conservative chairman of the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport committee, said the idea was “nonsense” and a “non-starter”.

He said: “The BBC needs to get away from the idea that [somehow the] world owes them a living.”

Richard Sharp, the BBC chairman, and Tim Davie, the director-general, said: “We actively look forward to the national debate on the next [Charter].”