London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Saturday, Feb 22, 2025

‘Defund the BBC’ campaign SAVAGES Gary Lineker in anti-licence fee billboard campaign

‘Defund the BBC’ campaign SAVAGES Gary Lineker in anti-licence fee billboard campaign

A new campaign calling for the BBC licence fee to be scrapped is hoping to put billboards up across Britain to spread its message.

The group, Defund the BBC, argues the corporation is intrinsically politically biased and the public should only have to pay for its content if they want to. The first billboard, situated in south-east London, has already been erected.

It depicts BBC presenters Gary Lineker and Emily Maitlis along with what the group claims is their salaries and the question “Are You Still Paying?”

Defund the BBC is financing the campaign via a Go Fund Me page which has already raised more than £35,000.

It hopes to use this money to finance more billboards across other parts of the UK.

Speaking to Express.co.uk, a spokesman for Defund the BBC said: “The billboard is just the first in a series, we hope, as we appeal for funds via a Go Fund Me page.

“It is pokes fun at the presenters, but also delivers a serious message, that some BBC staff are paid vast sums of cash taken from hard working Brits against their will.

"Anyone who believes the BBC is wrong to effectively impose a tax on the elderly, as they have done recently, or thinks the BBC is not representative of them or the nation should give to our campaign.”

Currently, in order to watch or record live television in the UK, you must pay for a licence which costs £157.50 per household if you have a colour TV.

This money is used to fund the BBC, the world’s oldest national broadcaster, which in return is supposed to provide informative and politically neutral content.

People caught watching TV without a licence can be fined up to £1,000 as well as court costs, and can face prison if they fail to pay.

However Defund the BBC argues the corporation has failed to be consistently politically neutral.

Its spokesman said: “As many Express readers will know, the BBC has long been perceived as biased and anti-Brexit and it is wrong that they threaten Brits with jail for not funding them.

“The BBC should support itself, fairly, through ads or a subscription like other media organisations.

"Disapproval of the BBC is growing and we aim to seize the moment and push for the government to decriminalise non-payment of the licence fee by the end of the year.

"We are also developing informative material so people can legally avoid paying the licence fee.

“Currently, BBC guidelines are deliberately confusing, tricking some people into giving them cash."

On the Defund the BBC Go Fund Me page supporters of the corporation explained why they had donated money.

One commented: “The BBC is for the few and I’m not included.”

Another added: “The BBC has become an organisation run by a minority who hold in absolute contempt the majority who are forced by law to fund it.”

The BBC argues it continues to provide politically neutral and un-bias coverage.

Shortly after the 2019 General Election Lord Hall, the BBC’s Director General, defended the corporation in an article for the Daily Telegraph.

He wrote: “Around 27 million people in the UK came to the BBC website to find out about the election results.

“It was a reminder of the trust people place in the BBC.

“But the fact criticism came from all sides of the political divide shows to me that we were doing our job without fear or favour.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
UK Prison Officer Sentenced for Inappropriate Conduct with Inmate
Good News: Senate Confirms Kash Patel as FBI Director
Officials from the U.S. and Hungary Engage in Talks on Economic Collaboration and Sanctions Strategy
James Bond Franchise Transitions to Amazon MGM Studios
Technology Giants Ramp Up Lobbying Initiatives Against Strict EU Regulations
Alibaba Exceeds Quarterly Projections Fueled by Growth in Cloud and AI
Tequila Sector Faces Surplus Crisis as Agave Prices Dive Sharply
Residents of Flintshire Mobile Home Park Grapple with Maintenance Issues and Uncertain Future
Ronan Keating Criticizes Irish Justice System Following Fatal Crash Involving His Brother
Gordon Ramsay's Lucky Cat Restaurant Faces Unprecedented Theft
Israeli Family Mourns Loss of Peace Advocate Oded Lifschitz as Body Returned from Gaza
Former UK Defense Chief Calls for Enhanced European Support for Ukraine
Pope Francis Admitted to Hospital in Rome Amid Rising Succession Speculation
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, at the age of 83, Declares His Retirement.
Whistleblower Reveals Whitehall’s Focus on Kabul Animal Airlift Amid Crisis
Politicians Who Deliberately Lie Could Face Removal from Office in Wales
Scottish Labour Faces Challenges Ahead of 2026 Holyrood Elections
Leftwing Activists Less Likely to Work with Political Rivals, Study Finds
Boris Johnson to Host 'An Evening with Boris Johnson' at Edinburgh's Usher Hall
Planned Change in British Citizenship Rules Faces First Legal Challenge
Northumberland Postal Worker Sentenced for Sexual Assaults During Deliveries
British Journalist Missing in Brazil for 11 Days
Tesco Fixes Website Glitch That Disrupted Online Grocery Orders
Amnesty International Critiques UK's Predictive Policing Practices
Burglar Jailed After Falling into Home-Made Trap in Blyth
Sellafield Nuclear Site Exits Special Measures for Physical Security Amid Ongoing Cybersecurity Concerns
Avian Influenza Impact on Seals in Norfolk: Four Deaths Confirmed
First Arrest Under Scotland's Abortion Clinic Buffer Zone Law Amidst International Controversy
Meghan Markle Rebrands Lifestyle Venture as 'As Ever' Ahead of Netflix Series Launch
Inter-Island Ferry Services Between Guernsey and Jersey Set to Expand
Significant Proportion of Cancer Patients in England and Wales Not Receiving Recommended Treatments
Final Consultation Launched for Vyrnwy Frankton Power Line Project
Drug Misuse Deaths in Scotland Rise by 12% in 2023
Failed £100 Million Cocaine Smuggling Operation in the Scottish Highlands
Central Cee Equals MOBO Awards Record; Bashy and Ayra Starr Among Top Honorees
EastEnders: Four Decades of Challenging Social Norms
Jonathan Bailey Channels 'Succession' in Bold Richard II Performance
Northern Ireland's First Astronaut Engages in Rigorous Spacewalk Training
Former Postman Sentenced for Series of Sexual Offences in Northumberland
Record Surge in Anti-Muslim Hate Crimes Across the UK in 2024
Omagh Bombing Inquiry Concludes Commemorative Hearings with Survivor Testimonies
UK Government Introduces 'Ronan's Law' to Combat Online Knife Sales to Minors
Metal Detectorists Unearth 15th-Century Coin Hoard in Scottish Borders
Woman Charged in 1978 Death of Five-Year-Old Girl in South London
Expanding Sinkhole in Godstone, Surrey, Forces Evacuations and Road Closures
Bangor University Announces Plans to Cut 200 Jobs Amid £15 Million Savings Target
British Journalist Charlotte Peet Reported Missing in Brazil
UK Inflation Rises to 3% in January Amid Higher Food Prices and School Fees
Starmer Defends Zelensky Amidst Trump's 'Dictator' Allegation
Zelensky Calls on World Leaders to Back Peace Efforts in Light of Strains with Trump
×