BBC must be responsive to the public, says Lisa Nandy

The BBC must be “responsive” to the public, Lisa Nandy has said as she vowed to keep an “open mind” about the future of the licence fee.

The new Culture Secretary insisted that viewers and listeners must feel that they have a stake in the future of the national broadcaster.

Sir Keir Starmer told reporters last week that he was “committed” to the current annual charge of £169.50, which critics believe should be abolished amid the growth of subscription services.

The corporation’s charter is up for renewal in 2027 and Rishi Sunak, Sir Keir’s predecessor, had opened the door to alternative revenue models.

Ms Nandy told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Obviously the future of the BBC is currently being debated, we’ve got the charter review coming up and that review has been started by the previous government.

“I’m keen to ensure that the BBC can continue to thrive into the future. I’ve traditionally been a big supporter of the licence fee, as has Keir Starmer.

“But we also want to make sure that the BBC is responsive to the public, that people feel that they have a stake in the future of their public service broadcaster.”

Secure BBC’s future

Noting she had previously suggested mutualising parts of the corporation, she added: “I’m coming to it with an open mind, prepared to work with the widest range of stakeholders, including the public.

“But the firm intention is to secure the future of the BBC and ensure that it can continue to thrive and do its vital work into the future.”

In opposition, Ms Nandy blamed the Conservatives for fostering an “anti-media and anti-BBC feeling” by threatening to scrap the television tax.

In a separate interview on BBC Breakfast, she reiterated Sir Keir’s “commitment” to the licence fee until at least 2027.

“We are committed in our manifesto to the BBC and to the licensing scheme,” she said. “There’s going to be some more thought between now and [2027] but we are committed.”

Discussions with Tim Davie

Ms Nandy visited the BBC studios at MediaCity in Salford at the weekend, holding discussions with Tim Davie, the corporation’s director-general.

She also made time for a meeting with Hacker T Dog, a border terrier puppet and one of the stars of the BBC’s children’s television offering.

In a clip shared to social media, Hacker – who, like Ms Nandy, is also from Wigan – gave the Culture Secretary a signed photograph of him, joking: “You can put it up in No 10.”

As they traded quips, Ms Nandy told her canine counterpart: “Hacker, I don’t know if you remember, but you once met my little boy and made him cry… So I’m afraid I’m announcing today that I am shutting the BBC down.”

Hacker, who went on to claim he was on his “best behaviour” for the high-level ministerial visit, responded: “Hooray! It worked.”

The exchange ended with the puppet asking Ms Nandy whether she still lived in Wigan, to which she replied: “Yeah, I’m going to move the BBC to Wigan actually.”