Shadow minister: BBC structure has failed
Shadow minister: BBC structure has failed
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By Darren Estwick. |  |
Monday, 19, Oct 2009 07:57
By inthenews.co.uk staff.
The shadow culture secretary has hinted that a Conservative administration may "rip up" the BBC's royal charter.
The current royal charter expires in 2015 but its validity has been questioned of late, with culture secretary Ben Bradshaw suggesting it should be overhauled.
Speaking to the Financial Times, Conservative MP Jeremy Hunt said the BBC was "out of touch" and said the scrapping of the charter could form part of Tory policy should the party win the next general election.
"We haven't made a decision on the timing of (changes in the governance structure), but we do think the structure has failed," Mr Hunt said.
"We are looking into whether it would be appropriate to rip up the charter in the middle of it, or whether one should wait."
He added the Conservatives would reverse government plans for an intended 50p monthly tax on telephone lines to help fund high-speed broadband for the UK and also criticised the high salaries of BBC executives.
"That is clearly out of touch with the hard times the rest of the electorate is going through," Mr Hunt commented.
"Sometimes what might be in the interests of the BBC as an institution is not in the interests of licence fee payers... (who) want there to be choice."