Star BBC presenter Jeremy Paxman has told a lecture audience in Edinburgh that “a tax on the ownership of a television belongs to the 1950s”. “Why not tax people for owning a washing machine to fund the manufacture of Persil”, he asked. According to the Financial Times Mr. Paxman “questioned how many more licence fee settlements the BBC could expect to receive”.
The BBC responded that it’s employee’s comments were “thought-provoking”.
It is illegal in Britain to receive any television broadcast unless a licence to do so has been bought from the state broadcaster. Those who do not buy a licence are asked to explain themselves. If they refuse investigators are sent to their homes to interview them “under caution”.