One of my commenters (and of many other blogs), Tom Tom, raised an idea on a post of mine that dealt with the fact that as citizens of the EU there is no separate provision whereby a person can remain a United Kingdom national but renounce citizenship of the European union - a comment which I reproduce in full:
"You know I think a political party needs to electrify an election campaign by pledging to Decriminalise the TV Licence so criminal Law is no longer employed - or to Abolish It. It would throw the BBC into such a loop that the Party would get so much coverage, yet every attack by the BBC would be so apparent to voters as self-interest. I bet with current Politikverdrossenheit (tired of politicians) such a party would boost its support. On such a peg it could hang issues such as Lord Patten being an EU Pensioner tied to the EU. It could hang matters like the BBC being funded by EU funds. It could look at people on unemployment pay funding £300,000 pa newsreaders or people like Alan Yentob. It could ask why the Eu wants Post Offices privatised, railways etc but not State Broadcasters. It would be a super election issue."
In a later comment he said:
"You have to move on the TV Licence quickly. Germany has replaced it from 2013 with a Household Levy whether you have TV or not....I could imagine that becoming an EU policy to fund a chain of EU State Broadcasters."
Another 'winning' idea for UKIP to adopt?
2 comments:
Good idea, but these bods have all sorts of tricks up their sleeves. In the Netherlands, a rather devious construction was devised (a national pastime). In addition to the income generated by the television and radio license (kijk- en luistergeld) the state tv/radio network also has advertising as a further source of income. In the year 2000 the license fee was "abolished" and quietly compensated by an 1.1% increase to the basic rate of income tax. Many young people are hardly any longer aware that they pay for their state propaganda.
L: Thanks for your comment - it seems that the Netherlands has preceded Germany - a different route but the same aim.
Perhaps also Tom Tom's fears about this becoming EU future policy are already being put into operation!
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