BECTU responds to over-75s licence fee protests outside BBC workplaces

The National Pensioners Convention is leading protests outside BBC workplaces today following the public service broadcaster’s announcement on free TV licences for the over-75s.

BBC New Broadcasting House

Head of the BECTU sector of Prospect, Philippa Childs said: “While we have every sympathy with the point The National Pensioners Convention are making about the importance of free TV licence provision, they don’t have the right location for these demonstrations – that’s Westminster.

“The argument we have consistently made is that this is a government responsibility which should never have been passed on to the BBC.

The corporation would have been unable to retain the full entitlement without dramatic cuts to channels, programming and radio stations – all of which would have a terrible impact on the audience, not to mention our members working in the BBC.

We should be absolutely clear about where blame lies for this issue – and that’s the Government”