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The BBC came under fire this week after BBC hosts Charlie Stayt and Naga Munchetty mocked a Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick's Union Jack in the background. The hosts joked Mr
Jenrick's Union Flag was "just a little bit small". This sparked outrage on social media with many calling for the corporation to be defunded and #DefundTheBBC began trending
on Twitter. One person who hit back at the BBC was former MEP Rupert Lowe who said the BBC have "used the licence fee crutch for too long". Mr Lowe tweeted: "Always good to
see #DefundTheBBC trending. "They've used the licence fee as a crutch for far too long. "Time for them to stand on their own two feet and provide a service that people will be
willing to pay for - not under the threat of legal action!" Over recent months, the BBC has faced ongoing criticism online after it scrapped free TV licence fees for most over-75s.
Following on from this, last month they announced they would be rising the mandatory licence fee by £1.50 from £157.50 to £159 from April. People buying or renewing their TV licence after
April 1 will pay the new higher fee. READ MORE: MAKE 'WOKE' BBC A SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE - BREXITEER The poll found a third described the BBC as "very bad value". Five
percent of those polled said it was "good value", with eight percent saying it is "very good value". The survey also found around 34 percent of Britons believed the BBC
focussed too much on "woke" issues. And 47 percent said the BBC only represented the views of those in London rather than the rest of the country. Two-thirds of those surveyed also
said the non-payment of the licence fee should not be a criminal offence for the over-75s. The BBC has promised they will meet audiences regularly to help boost diversity on screen
following a damning poll where 27 percent of people said there is little coverage of diverse socio-economic backgrounds. BBC director-general Tim Davie said at the time: “Across the BBC, our
focus has been on making sure that everyone - across the UK, from all backgrounds and communities - can feel that the BBC is for them. “It’s about being relevant to every part of society,
and delivering value to every household. “We have a responsibility to reflect and serve all audiences." More than 25 Conservative MPs have urged the Prime Minister to decriminalise
non-payment of the TV licence fee to defend “British traditions and values”.
