Ruth Davidson joins Tory backlash against Channel 4 privatisation plan
Ruth Davidson has joined a Conservative backlash against controversial plans to privatise Channel 4.
The former Scottish Tory leader said the proposals were “the opposite of levelling up”, referring to the UK Government’s bid to boost opportunities across the country.
It came as senior Tory MP Julian Knight questioned whetherthemovewasrevenge for “biased” news coverage of issues such as Brexit.
UK Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries insisted “government ownership is holding Channel 4 back from competing against streaming giants like Netflix and Amazon”.
She said: "A change of ownership will give Channel 4 the tools and freedom to flourish and thrive as a public service broadcaster long into the future."
Channel 4 was set up under Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government in 1982 and is funded by advertising but publicly owned.
Ms Dorries insisted the profit from any sale would be reinvested into “levelling up the creative sector” in priority parts of the country.
But the plans have sparked a huge backlash from opposition politicians, industry figures and some prominent Conservatives.
Lady Davidson, who now sits as a peer in the House of Lords, wrote on Twitter: “Channel 4 is publicly owned, not publicly funded. It doesn't cost the taxpayer a penny.
"It also, by charter, commissions content but doesn't make/own its own. It's one of
the reasons we have such a thriving indy sector in places like Glasgow.”
Damian Green, who as first secretary of state was effectively Theresa May’s deputy, criticised the move as “unconservative”.
He said: “The sale of Channel 4 is politicians and civil servants thinking they know more about how to run a business than the people who run it. Very unconservative. Mrs Thatcher, who created it,
never made that mistake.”
Mr Knight, chair of Westminster’s Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee, said it was “certainly true that Channel 4 will have greater freedom to compete once privatised and if managed well it should be able to continue to innovate and crucially appeal to young audiences”.
He said: “However, this is a big risk. The question has to be, do you think a restricted but brilliant small state broad
caster will part compete with the likes of Apple and Amazon or does it need to be able to borrow and grow in a way only privatisation can unlock?”
Writing on Twitter, the MP added: “Now, elephant in the room time - is this being done for revenge for Channel 4’s biased coverage of the likes of Brexit and personal attacks on the PM? The timing of the announcement 7pm, coinciding with Channel 4 News, was very telling…”
The sale plans are expected to be set out in a White Paper later this month and will be included in a new Media Bill for spring 2023.
SNP Culture Secretary Angus Robertson said the “unnecessary and ill-conceived plan strikes a blow at the heart of public sector broadcasting at a time when it has shown beyond measure its value during the pandemic”.