TV licence could be scrapped and BBC privatised as major petition reaches milestone (Image: Getty)
A petition to abolish the BBC TV licence and privatise the organisation has now reached 3,000 signatures after pressure to remove the bill. If this petition gets 10,000 signatures, government will have to respond, and upon reaching 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.
Calling for the abolition of the mandatory £180 fee for live TV, campaigner Richard Peckham said the service was “no longer the trusted ‘backbone’ of Britain it once was, having been linked to multiple scandals and alleged cover-ups”. He added: “This has driven boycotts and reduced willingness to pay the TV Licence amongst many, alongside the rise of cheaper, better streaming alternatives.”
Lisa Nandy previously said there were issues with the fee (Image: Getty)
His comments perhaps refer to the dismissal of several high-profile and well-paid journalists following public scandals, including radio presenter Scott Mills.
The BBC was also accused of creating a misleading edit of Donald Trump’s January 2021 speech, which preceded the Capitol riot. The BBC apologised for an “error of judgement”. The US President swiftly issued threats of a $1billion lawsuit.
Mr Peckham also wants the BBC’s Royal Charter to be revoked, and for legislatation to transition the BBC into a private corporation.
His calls for a scrapped licence fee are not unheard of. The UK Government is currently reviewing the BBC’s funding model, generating a policy white paper expected later in 2026.
Following a green paper consultation that closed in March 2026, officials are exploring how to generate more commercial revenue, and whether concessions should be updated.
Lisa Nandy, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport admitted to the Telegraph “we recognise there are problems with the licence fee,” in April 2025, adding Government was “open to a different system”.
She said: “It’s unenforceable and, particularly, I’ve been very concerned about the way it’s been enforced in the past, with women – particularly vulnerable women – targeted for enforcement action, and the BBC itself has accepted that.”
Around 80% of households are thought to have paid the licence fee last year, and finanical reports showed it covered about two-thirds of its total income.
In a House of Commons update in July, it explained that “changes in viewing habits, such as a move to video-on-demand, and the growth of new technologies, has resulted in the model being challenged”.
In a written ministerial statement in November 2024, Nandy confirmed that the licence fee will be upheld until the end of the charter period, which ends in December 2027.
The BBC previously said said the broadcaster looks forward to engaging with the government and securing its long-term future, in regards to the report.
The BBC declined to comment on the petition.
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