Ring-fence BBC Licence Fee Funds to protect them from foreign Lawsuits
We call on Parliament to introduce legislation that protects the mandatory BBC licence fee revenue from being used to pay settlements or damages in non-UK-based civil lawsuits, thereby ring-fencing public funds for public service broadcasting.
Signatures
49
signatures
Government response threshold (10,000) · 49/10,000
Debate threshold (100,000) · 49/100,000
- 16 DEC 2025Petition opened for signaturesCreated by Elizabeth Drake
Background
The BBC licence fee is a mandatory fee and essential for public broadcasting. Payouts from high-value, foreign lawsuits could divert funds from core services. We believe this exposes the BBC to high-cost legal threats from wealthy, foreign-based entities, risking the depletion of public resource, and could undermine the UK's essential freedom of the press and the BBC's editorial independence. We request Parliament legislate a clear financial firewall.