‘No one asked for this’: Dorries slams delays on Channel 4 sale, BBC licence fee and online safety bill
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Former Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries has slammed Liz Truss’ government for its inactivity surrounding the sale of Channel 4, the BBC licence fee review and online safety bill.
Taking to Twitter, Dorries, who formerly backed Truss in the leadership race, wrote: “Widespread dismay at the fact that 3 years of work has effectively been put on hold.
No one asked for this. C4 sale, online safety, BBC licence feee review – all signed off by cabinet all ready to go, all stopped. If Liz wants a whole new mandate, she must take to the country.”
The news comes as the government remains relatively silent on media matters, such as the impending privatisation of Channel 4 (C4).
Producers’ organisation Pact wrote a letter to the new Prime Minister last month calling for her to reconsider plans for the broadcaster.
The letter was signed by over 750 indie producers, and emphasises the centrality of C4’S model to the ecosystem.”Current plans could have a devastating impact not only on these production companies, but also on the country’s levelling up efforts.”
However, the new Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan has been much more vocal on the online safety bill.
In a recent interview with The Times, Donelan said she would boost protections for children on social media after a recent ruling found that Big Tech firms had contributed to the death of Molly Russell.
She has pledged to bring the bill back to parliament before Christmas.
In the same interview, Donelan said that she would make an “informed decision” about the future of BBC funding.
“I’m a long-term sceptic of the current funding model for the BBC licence fee,” she said. “But at the same time, I am the type of politician that makes decisions based on evidence and [we] are listening to stakeholders and individuals and people are making informed decisions.”
The BBC slashed nearly 400 jobs from its world service division last week as the broadcaster feels the increasing pressure of the licence fee freeze.