It’s emerged the UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, led opposition to plans by culture secretary Nadine Dorries to replace the BBC Licence Fee from 2027.
The Financial Times reported Wednesday that Sunak had told Dorres there had not been sufficient discussion within cabinet.
Dorres, who is a close ally of the UK’s embattled prime minister announced on Monday that the Licence Fee would be frozen for the next two years. Rather than rising to the £180 requested by the BBC, the Licence Fee will remain fixed at £159 until 1 April 2024.
Prior to her announcement in the Commons, a report in the Mail on Sunday trailed the prospect of the Licence Fee being replaced completely by 2027. The article was then retweeted by Dorres.
Thérèse Coffey, the work and pensions secretary, complained in cabinet that the Tweet was an attempt to bounce her colleagues into agreeing with her.
The announcement of the Licence Fee freeze is part of a slew of policies, dubbed Operation Red Meat, designed to present ‘attractive’ policies to the public amid an investigation into allegations parties were held at Downing Street in breach of Covid rules.
