The BBC is right to “cut its cloth appropriately” Rishi Sunak has said in the wake of savings unveiled by the corporation which included the radical curtailing of its decades-old Newsnight programme.
The Prime Minister also urged the corporation not to push for a large increase in the licence fee and be “realistic about what it can expect people to pay at a time like this”.
Sunak was pressed on an upcoming renewal of the BBC’s charter in 2027 on his visit to the
Cop28 climate summit in Dubai.
He said: “It is welcome that the
BBC
are looking at making savings and efficiencies in how they operate.
WATCH HERE: Chris Hope questions Rishi Sunak at Cop28
“It’s really important that when things are difficult everyone is doing what they can to ease the cost of living on families.
“That’s certainly what I have done over the last year and made a bunch of decisions that haven’t been easy.
“But that’s helped to bring inflation down to ease the burden and the cost of living.”
Sunak added: “The BBC like any other organisation that serves the public should be looking to do that and cut its cloth appropriately so I think that is very welcome.
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Rishi Sunak at Cop28
PA
“I think going forward … the BBC should be realistic about what it can expect people to pay at a time like this.
“That, I think is the right approach.”
