Scotland risks losing BBC if it votes for independence
SCOTLAND will lose the BBC if it decides to break away from the rest of the UK when it votes for independence in September, it was claimed yesterday.
Culture Secretary Maria Miller said the BBC was “part of our crown jewels” and it would not be available over the border if ties are broken.
Speaking at the Oxford Media convention, she added: “We have to think what the vote is about. It’s about whether or not Scotland wants to remain as part of the UK.
“If the vote is ‘no’, they don’t want to do that, then it’s a vote to leave institutions of the UK and the BBC is one of those institutions.”
The Scottish National Party has already said it would create a new Scottish Broadcasting Service funded by the Scottish share of the licence fee.
The SNP said that in 2016 the BBC will raise £320million in licence fees in Scotland but will only spend £175million on services for Scottish viewers.