Boris Johnson: I'll stop paying BBC licence fee

Former PM urges people not to pay the annual levy unless Tim Davie gives ‘convincing explanation’ for bias row

Boris Johnson has said he will stop paying the BBC licence fee unless Tim Davie, the director-general, explains the bias row engulfing the broadcaster or quits.

The former prime minister urged others to join him and stop paying the annual levy unless Mr Davie gave a “convincing explanation”. It comes after a week of Telegraph disclosures of one-sided reporting over Gaza, censorship of the trans debate and even doctoring of a speech by Donald Trump.

The examples were contained in a leaked 8,000-word letter sent to members of the BBC board by Michael Prescott, a former standards adviser, who wrote of his “despair at inaction by the BBC executive” over widespread evidence of bias.

Writing on Friday, Mr Johnson said: “It is time for reporters to stand outside Davie’s house, in the time-honoured way, and shout at him: ‘What is your response to the Prescott report? When did you first know that Panorama lied? Why did you do nothing about it?’

“A few days of that and Davie should eventually emerge from his foxhole, and when he does, he should either give a convincing explanation for the Left-wing bias at the BBC, or else resign in favour of someone who will stop the rot.

“Unless he does so, I am simply going to stop paying my licence fee and suggest you do the same.”

Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, told The Telegraph he would be raising the revelations in a meeting with Mr Davie later this month.

“I will be meeting Tim Davie in the next few days, at which I will be expressing my grave concern over the levels of institutional bias as revealed by these reports,” he said.

“I will ask him why we should be paying an increased licence fee – rumoured to be £181 – to receive this level of indoctrination.

“I want to know whether he accepts what is going on and makes genuine changes, or will it just be swept under the carpet?”

Earlier this week, The Telegraph disclosed that a Panorama documentary had spliced together different parts of a speech by Mr Trump and made it seem as though he had told supporters to go to the US Capitol and “fight like hell” on the day of the 2021 riot.

Mr Prescott’s damning letter also accused the corporation of “effective censorship” of its reporting on transgender issues. In addition, it expressed concerns that BBC Arabic was downplaying the suffering of Israelis in the war with Hamas to paint their country as the aggressor.

He will also give evidence in Parliament about the bias he says he became aware of during three years on the BBC’s Editorial Guidelines and Standards Committee.

Davie’s job ‘hanging in the balance’

John Whittingdale, the former culture secretary, said Mr Davie’s future was hanging in the balance.

“There needs to be an immediate inquiry and whoever is directly responsible should go. Tim Davie’s position is certainly in question,” he said.

“In order to restore confidence, he needs to react and be seen to be reacting, and I haven’t seen that.

“I would imagine that questions will be asked in Parliament when we get back.”

Baroness Morgan, another former culture secretary, said: “Really, at what point are the BBC going to get a grip on this? People pay a lot for the licence fee and this is not what they expect.”

Liz Truss, the former prime minister, added: “The Telegraph’s work over recent days has exposed the damning truth about the BBC: it has been captured by the woke, globalist Left which despises Britain and everything that made us great.”

“The BBC shares a large part of the blame for why this country is a mess. I have come to the conclusion that the organisation is unreformable and needs to be put out of its misery.”

There have also been calls for the BBC to publish 10 separate reports on bias that are referred to in Mr Prescott’s letter. They span subjects including the BBC’s coverage of the US election and the alerts sent on the BBC News app.

The BBC has said it does not comment on leaks and that it considers feedback carefully.

Royal Charter renewal

The row comes as the Government prepares to publish a green paper outlining its proposals for the renewal of the BBC’s Royal Charter.

Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary, said: “The BBC holds a unique place in our national life, and it is essential that it maintains the very highest standards of accuracy and impartiality so that people can continue to have confidence in it.

“The Government takes any questions raised about the BBC’s editorial standards seriously, and we expect the organisation to reflect carefully on the feedback it receives.”