The BBC is “stealing the Ovaltine from pensioners’ night-time drink”, Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg has claimed, after a change resulted in the over-75s having to pay the licence fee. Tory backbencher Sir David Amess (Southend West) said high pay for BBC stars was “outrageous and shameful” given the change. “They lost a quarter of a million licence payers in the last year as people are voting with their feet. Fairness for Aggers!”A BBC spokesman said: “It was the Government who decided to stop funding free TV licences for the over-75s. “Around 1.5 million households could get free TV licences if someone is over 75 and receives Pension Credit.

Source: The Herald September 17, 2020 12:33 UTC