Boris Johnson demands BBC cough up to fund free TV licenses for the over 75s

THE BBC should cough up the cash to fund free TV licences for the over 75s, Boris Johnson has demanded.

The front-runner to become the next Tory leader and PM went further than before to demand the corporation splash their cash so pensioners didn't have to.

He told a Tory hustings event this evening in York: "The BBC should be coughing up for the TV licences for the over 75s.

"They were given the money, it was part of the deal."

Previously he's said the corporation should "look after" the elderly after they are forced to pay the £150 a year fee from 2020.

But he stopped short of promising that he would personally find the cash if he becomes PM, as his rival Jeremy Hunt has done.

When asked whether the BBC should sack the Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker, who gets paid £1.75million a year, Boris said: "That is above my pay grade, literally."

Last week the Beeb came under fire for upping the bill on presenter spending by £10million in the last year - at the same time as axing TV licences for the over 75s.

Only the very poorest will get it, those who are claiming pension credit, causing a furious reaction from politicians.

The Government passed over responsibility to the BBC for the funding back in 2015. Funding the scheme in its current form would cost the BBC around £745m a year.

Earlier this week, BBC Chairman Sir David Clementi said the BBC had never delivered funding for the 0ver-75 scheme and it is the Government that's ending the funding.

He added that cutting the pay of stars would not be able to fund the cost of the scheme.

Boris also used the event today to slam internet giants like Facebook, Amazon, Netflix and Google for paying "virtually nothing" in tax.

If he gets into No10 he promised he would find a way to tax them on their incomes to level the playing field, he added.

"It's simply uneven, simply unfair," he said.

He also revealed he would consider cutting corporation tax too as a way of trying to boost the economy.

"You can continue to cut and still produce more economic growth," he insisted.

"Look at America, they've had a big programme of tax allowances, growth is at 3.6 per cent, and money is coming in."

The Brexiteer front-runner came under fire for promising income tax cuts for the wealthy, but Boris insisted he wanted to encourage businesses.

He blasted business rates as "crippling" and said he would cut them to help the struggling high street.

He would use the £39billion divorce bill to help fund his spending pledges if we left without a deal, he vowed.

Boris also said the Tories had to "get ready" for an election and promised to knock Jeremy Corbyn "out of the park".

"He would be a catastrophe for our country. He cannot be allowed to take the reins of power in this country," he blasted.

Boris also fired a warning shot at Remainers in the current Cabinet too, insisting that under his watch, no one would be allowed to speak out against the Government line.

He "wouldn't accept people actively dissenting in public and undermining it" and would want everyone on his team to be on board with preparing for a No Deal on Octover 31.

The news will be seen as a direct warning to Remainers like Amber Rudd, David Gauke and Rory Stewart, who don't want us to leave without an agreement.

"I want to see successful, dynamic and positive vision" for Britain, he insisted.

There would likely be an "outbreak of common sense" among MPs, however, as they realised the dire need to get out of the EU as fast as possible, he said.

"The serious question to consider is whether MPS will really want to kick the can down the road?

"Both main parties continue to face a haemorrhage of trust and support."

Boris would aim to "unleash the potential of the whole UK" after Brexit to help those voters who voted to quit the EU and felt left behind, he promised.

Meanwhile Jeremy Hunt came under fire for his stance on fox-hunting, after he said last night he wanted to repeal the ban.

He said he would vote to scrap it but admitted later it would be a free vote and would not be a priority for his government.

During the hustings he was forced to back down and insisted there wasn't a majority for it in Parliament at the moment, so wouldn't happen.

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