I’M confused by the “fake news” from N Tate about the formerly free TV licence for over 75s (“Off screen”, HAS, Nov 17). He blames the BBC for the decision and hopes “Boris will help get the free licences reinstated”.
In fact, it was Labour PM Gordon Brown who introduced the free licence, fully funded by the Government, in April 2000.
In 2016, Tory PM David Cameron forced the BBC to pay for it and Government funding was phased out between 2018 and 2020.
So, the BBC was forced to choose between cutting programming or cutting the free licence, except for the poorest pensioners.
So, little hope of another Tory PM coughing up for pensioners. The Tories are happy to bung £12bn (that’s about £200 per head) to their chums on the failing test system, but will not stump up £750m to keep the over 75s free licence.
Phil Hunt, Barningham.
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