When the Licence Fee was introduced in 1946, there was only one broadcaster and one channel, the BBC. Today, people have a choice of hundreds of channels and online streaming services. It's time to rethink this outdated compulsory tax, which non-payment is punishable by imprisonment.
The BBC is no longer a trusted national broadcaster, and I speak as someone who previously greatly admired it. Sadly, it has fallen a long way from its original founding principles to educate, entertain, and inform impartially.
Too often, BBC employees break impartiality by expressing their political views on social media and presenting their opinions as fact on television. The broadcaster has also lost touch with the nation by considering banning Land of Hope and Glory and Rule Britannia from the Last Night of the Proms and mocking displays of the Union flag.
During my speech, I raised constituents' views on the BBC from a survey I conducted last autumn. With more than 800 responses, it revealed a consensus that the BBC has become woke, partisan, anti-British and is no longer value for money, with 84% advocating the abolition of the Licence Fee.
I would much prefer the BBC to return to the impartial and trustworthy broadcaster, which united people. Unless the BBC once again serves everyone, then I believe the time will soon come when the Licence Fee should be abolished to give people a choice.
Watch my full speech on the future of the licence fee below.