Lib Dems: licence fee will not rise faster than inflation

The party published its 158-page vision for power earlier today following the delivery of the Labour and Conservative manifestos this week.

Under a section titled Pride in Creativity, the Liberal Democrats vowed to “protect the independence of the BBC while ensuring the licence fee does not rise faster than inflation”.

The document also stated that it would keep Channel 4 in public hands and “protect funding and editorial independence of Welsh language broadcasters”.

The Conservatives pledged to keep the licence fee frozen in its manifesto, while Labour used its blueprint to back the corporation and the public ownership status of C4.

Elsewhere in the document, the Liberal Democrats said that ministers would be removed from making appointments to the BBC Trust and the Ofcom board. The government currently sanctions these appointments.

The party also vowed to maintain funding to BBC World Service, BBC Monitoring and the British Council.

Ukip manifesto

Separately, Ukip delivered its manifesto with a pledge to decriminalise the licence fee, making it a civil offence. The anti-European party will also review the licence fee “with a view to its reduction”.

In an interview with the Radio Times last week, Ukip leader Nigel Farage said it should “definitely [go] down” and added that C4 should be privatised.