BBC gearing up to 'love bomb' Labour if Starmer wins election

Staffers believe a change of government would bring an end to the "antagonistic relationship" currently seen between the Tories and the broadcaster.

One employee told the i: "There’s a giddy feeling of liberation coming.

"The Tory boot is being lifted from the BBC’s throat. It’s like the end of an antagonistic relationship. But then of course, reality will set in."

Another said MPs and ministers in a possible Labour government should be prepared to be "love-bombed" by the broadcaster after the election.

They said: "There’ll be lots of invites to the BBC box at the Proms".

The licence fee's existence is guaranteed until 31 December 2027 but the broadcaster's director general Tim Davie has said it is right to ask questions about its future as we live "in a world that is now full of choice".

Speaking in March 2024, Davie said he would "proactively research how to reform the licence fee post-2028".

Sir Chris Bryant, Labour's Shadow Creative Industries Minister, last month told an election hustings: "I think it’s really important we maintain a strong future for the BBC. Of course, there’s got to be review of the licence fee and the way it operates and precisely how we structure it."

Reform UK made scrapping the BBC licence fee a key policy in its manifesto.

Party leader Nigel Farage accused the BBC of showing "cynical bias" as the Reform leader faced a grilling from a "rigged audience".

Speaking at a campaign rally in Birmingham, Farage said: "First day of the campaign, I did an event down in Dover, where I talked about one of my pet subjects, the boats crossing the English Channel.

"And it was interesting because the BBC news channel, took the speech live until they cut it off with the presenters saying 'we have cut away from that because here's Nigel Farage using his customary inflammatory language'."

The crowd started booing the BBC.

"I demanded an apology, and I got one, which is remarkable," he added which then sparked cheers from the audience.

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Later in his speech, the Reform leader added: "I've had enough of the BBC. We will renew our campaign with added vigour to say the state broadcaster has abused its position of power.

"And we will campaign as the leading opposition voice in, not just in parliament but across the country too, we will campaign for the abolition of the BBC licence fee."