SCRAPPING the free TV licences for pensioners over 75 risks pushing 50,000 senior citizens into poverty.

The Government, who are responsible for free TV licences, reneged on its 2017 election manifesto promise promising the triple lock guarantee is maintained for all pensioners benefits such as winter fuel allowance, bus passes, prescriptions, eye tests and of course the TV licence during the life of this Parliament.

Yet this betrayal on free TV licences may well be the start of cutting more benefits. It is a great pity that the BBC ignored the petition where a near million people signed to oppose cutting the TV licences for over 75s.

The BBC have done a deal with the Government on the free TV licences. It was, to say the least, a great disappointment when they decided to link free TV licences with pension credit isolating thousands of pensioners.

If Over 75s refuse to pay £154.50 for a licence they could face a £1,000 fine plus a criminal record. This injustice can be overcome.

This is bad enough, but what was to follow in the House of Lords, Peers urging the Government to cut pensioners benefits and use the money for renting and buying homes more affordable for young people etc.

Chairman Lord True wanted benefits to be more balanced towards the young calling for some of the benefits based purely on age to be removed. Little comfort here from an unelected body.

The next question on the free TV licence is can the BBC sustain the cost of financing it? According to the last financial year the BBC and licence fee income was totalling more than £3.8 billion. That was boosted by at least £2 billion more by the selling of programmes and other commercial activities.

It has been claimed that in 2015 the BBC spent £25,000 entertaining politicians and celebrities. In addition the BBC, in July last year, was forced to review the salaries of its highest paid stars. Gary Lineker topped the bill earning £1.75m annually and the highest paid woman was Claudia Winkleman, who earns just under £500,000 annually.

Questions are being asked if they are really value for such salaries. In addition the BBC is planning to pay tens of millions of pounds to help clear the tax bill of presenters previously paid through personal companies.

It is high time the BBC reviewed their financial obligations to Over 75s and not the so-called stars. The BBC will have to deal with it, scrapping the TV licence for older people will send out the wrong message and once it is gone it will be harder to get it back.

I am sure the senior citizens will want the young given much needed financial support, however, this should not be at the expense of pensioners.

This is a strategy of divide and rule where a wedge is being driven between the elderly and the young. The electorate will down such a divisive policy.

This month we saw on the BBC the 70th anniversary of the Normandy D Day Landings, where thousands of brave soldiers made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. The commentators that followed where the veterans marched proudly, greatly praised them.

We owe them a great debt and gratitude. Gratitude but yet no free TV licence for next year. The Government and BBC agreement is a national disgrace and should be scrapped, not the Over 75s free TV licences.

JOE PATERSON,

Abbotsford Road,

Lochore.