How it ends

The admission from former Culture Minister Ed Vaizey earlier this week that the Conservatives found the 'only lever' to control the BBC was to squeeze funding (and, by the way, that the most recent Charter Review was 'neither thoughtful or radical') signposts the way forward.

In this order, the Government will decriminalise non-payment of the licence fee, putting a huge area of uncertainty around the BBC's future income. Claire Enders has suggested it could cost £500m a year, in a combination of additional collection costs and avoidance. Imagine if Charles Moore at the Telegraph, Dan Wootton at the Sun and Mail columnists like Sarah Vine advocated systematic non-payment (why on earth would they ?). The flames will be fanned by the same people frothing when Capita start trying to collect licence fees from over-75s not on pension credit from June this year.

Then the Government will take at least inflation from the next licence fee settlement, and probably more to fund 'full-fibre-broadband', from 2022 to 2027.

Meanwhile they will focus on alternatives to the licence fee, rather than calling for a wider review of public service broadcasting, ready for driving through in the Conservative manifesto for the General Election of 2024.