Keir Starmer warned of 'death wish' if Freeview services are cancelled with decision due

Keir Starmer was warned he “must have a death wish” if he presses ahead with plans to turn off terrestrial television services. Voters will punish Labour if Freeview services are scrapped, according to Dennis Reed, director of campaign group Silver Voices, which backs older people. Labour MPs said any switch-off would make the Government appear “out of touch” with families facing a cost of living crisis.

It follows reports that Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall have given the green light to proposals to axe free broadcast TV services, known officially as Digital Terrestrial Television (DTT), with the decision to be confirmed in weeks. Viewers would instead be expected to switch to Internet Protocol Television (IPTV), which is delivered online rather than through an aerial. Campaigners say this would deny services to people on lower incomes who do not have internet-capable TVs or can afford broadband services, and to people who are not confident using online services.

Current legislation means Freeview is safe until 2034, but campaigners have called for it to be safeguarded until at least 2040.

A Silver Voices petition opposing the switch-off has been signed by nearly 150,000 people.

Mr Reed said: “The Starmer Government must have a death wish if it publishes plans to switch off Freeview, when it needs all the support it can get. 17 million people watch Freeview each week and 9 million rely solely on terrestrial TV.”

He said threatening to turn off voters’ tellies could affect Labour’s chances of winning the Makerfield by-election, where Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham hopes to be a candidate.

Mr Reed said: “Many in Makerfield are likely to be furious if they are told Labour is going to force them to get an expensive broadband contract in order to watch their favourite TV programmes.

“The Saviour of the North would be wise to disassociate himself from this bonkers decision if he wants to fight off Reform in Makerfield”.

Labour MPs also raised concerns. Joe Morris, Labour MP for Hexham in Northumberland, said: “Free to air terrestrial television is a vital service that many of my constituents - particularly those in area like rural Northumberland - rely on daily.

If it was turned off, I worry that those who cannot afford or access high-speed broadband could be left behind.”

Sarah Champion, Labour MP for Rotherham, said: “Switching off terrestrial television in 2034 would be the wrong decision at the wrong time. Millions of people rely on free to air TV, especially older viewers, lower income households and communities where broadband is unreliable or expensive.

“People are rightly fed up with politicians who seem out of touch with the cost of living pressures families are facing. They should not be forced to pay more just to watch the television services they already use and value.

“Ministers should protect free-to-air terrestrial television well into the 2040s and make sure communities are not left paying the price for a switch off.”

Conservative MP David Mundell said: “If the UK Government thinks it can switch off terrestrial TV by 2034 without a serious political backlash, it is badly misreading the public mood.

“Millions of people rely on Freeview, and the conditions needed for any switch off, universal affordable broadband, simple technology and proper support for vulnerable viewers, will plainly not be met by 2034.

“Rather than forcing people onto expensive and unreliable broadband just to watch television, the Government should end the uncertainty now and commit to extending terrestrial TV into the 2040s.”

A spokesman for the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said: “We are committed to ensuring that no one is left behind as TV viewing increasingly moves to online platforms.

“That is why the Government is currently working across the TV sector on a long-term sustainable approach to TV distribution in the UK. This will include a decision, as soon as possible, on whether to extend the current commitment to digital terrestrial television beyond 2034.”