Veteran broadcaster John Simpson warns against political interference with the BBC

Veteran broadcaster John Simpson last night criticised government interference with the BBC's licence fee.

Speaking at the Frontline Club, Simpson said he could not remember a time in his 40 years at the corporation when the role and funding of the BBC had been challenged by so many groups, in particular both ruling and opposing parties.

"There are more voices against the BBC now than I can remember there being at any stage, because of the internet. Anyone with a voice or grievance against the BBC now has a way of drawing attention to it," he said.

But above all, the BBC's world affairs editor said he was concerned about political interest in the future of the BBC's licence fee and its programming - something its own executives should decide, he added.

"The secret of controlling the BBC is out: get your hands on the licence fee and you can start to control the nature of the BBC," he said, referring to the political arguments over proposed top slicing of the corporation's licence fee last year.

"It's taken the kind of ferocity that Alastair Campbell brought into public life for that to happen and the Conservatives have followed suit. At the moment the politicians in charge of broadcasting, both in shadow and in government, are threatening the licence fee in some form or other.

"If you mess around with the licence fee, you mess around with the BBC's life and soul."

But continued political interference may be unavoidable, said Simpson, referencing the experience of Canadian broadcaster CBC, whose state funding was reviewed and cut after broadcasting a critical report about the country's government. The broadcaster is now a niche rather than mass audience channel, Simpson said.

"The same I suspect will happen to the BBC: the licence fee will be messed around with and the money will drop, the quality, standards and the scope will drop. At some stage you will have to make the decision of whether we broadcast to the nation or to the supporters of the BBC, who are most likely to like what it does. I don't trust any of the parties to protect the BBC as they should," he said.

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