Not paying your TV licence could be decriminalised

Protesters against cuts to TV licences announced earlier this year.

Boris Johnson is said to be looking into consulting on whether people who do not pay the £154.50 licence fee for watching live television or BBC iPlayer should be prosecuted.

Downing Street refused to appear on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme due to what they said was its pro-Remain bias.

Last financial year, 25.8m homes had TV licences bringing in £3.6bn to the BBC.

A civil system of fines may be recommeded in aa review may recommend replacing criminal sanctions for failing to pay the licence.

The Prime Minister said he was “looking at “ abolishing the BBC licence fee altogether in the a civil system of fines.

He said that while the Tories were “not planning to get rid of all TV licence fees”, the system “bears reflection”.

A BBC spokesman said: “The government has already commissioned a QC to take an in-depth look at this matter and he found that the current system of criminal deterrence and prosecution should be maintained’.”