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Ex-culture secretary blasts ‘retrograde’ plan for ‘YouTube tax’ to fund BBC

The government plans to expand the BBC licence fee to cover streaming platforms including Netflix, YouTube and Amazon, with a white paper expected before Christmas.
The government plans to expand the BBC licence fee to cover streaming platforms including Netflix, YouTube and Amazon, with a white paper expected before Christmas.

Any new cash raised is expected to fund local journalism and a fight against misinformation, with the plans blaming misinformation for fuelling the rise of Reform UK. Amazon and Disney+ would also be swept in, ending the exemption for non-live streaming. People can reportedly currently 'avoid paying', and a change of prime minister has reportedly let ministers 'press ahead'. A white paper is due before Christmas.

Ex-culture secretary Baroness Nicky Morgan branded the 'YouTube tax' plan 'retrograde'.

The licence fee already rose to £180 on April 1.

MoreThe IndependentEx-culture secretary blasts ‘retrograde’ plan for ‘YouTube tax’ to fund BBC
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