As the government continues to seek ways to reduce costs amid the pandemic, the BBC’s licence fee is once again under scrutiny. The Daily Mail and the Daily Telegraph both report that Chancellor Rishi Sunak has called on the corporation to be more realistic about what people can afford, and that the planned increase to the licence fee due in April may be limited. While some at the BBC may be frustrated with this, given that the fee has been frozen for two years, Sunak has maintained that all public organisations must “cut their cloth” during the pandemic.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is also in the news, following an article he wrote for the Sunday Telegraph. The Daily Mirror reports that he is facing backlash over his comments crediting former Conservative Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher with bringing about “meaningful change.” While he also praised Tony Blair and Clement Attlee for similar reasons, some feel that his comments were an attempt to win over Conservative voters. Sir Keir has defended his remarks, stating that he wanted to highlight Thatcher’s “sense of purpose,” but that didn’t mean he agreed with her.
Meanwhile, the Guardian reports on Sir Keir’s upcoming speech to the Resolution Foundation on Monday, during which he is expected to state that Labour won’t increase public spending if they win the next general election. This has sparked concerns among some that he is preparing to sign up to public sector cuts.
The newspapers also cover a range of other topics, from the growing threat of Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party to a new Tory chairman’s optimism about the party’s chances, despite trailing in the polls. The Times focuses on the high cost of the UK’s “weight problem,” stating that it could scupper the Chancellor’s plans to get sick people back to work. The newspapers also report on other issues, such as union bosses’ Christmas party and hackers threatening to reveal the Royal Family’s stolen health records unless paid £300,000
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