The BBC are getting defensive over plans to top slice the licence fee, but do their arguments hold water? As a natural supporter of the Beeb, I – like them – tend to get rather protective over any plans to mess around with Auntie. However, is it just me or has the Corporation’s counter arguments to the Government’s plans come across as ill-focused and rather weak? So far, the main protestation seems to be that to hand over some cash to fund ITV’s local news broadcasting would be the first step on a rocky road. But a rocky road to where? It’s not that I necessarily disagree with this view, it’s just that it sounds all too vague to be considered a serious defence of the licence fee.

Mind you, Culture secretary Ben Bradshaw has described the Beeb’s position as “wrong-headed” which is an equally weak rebuttal . And anyway, where did that stupid expression come from? I have heard “wrong-headed” floating around in business speak for a year or so now – is it really necessary to invent such a silly sounding term? Grrr