BBC bosses stand accused of fiddling the number of over-75s now paying for a TV licence.
We really can't believe that those institutionally corrupt shit bags upstanding, moral guardians of broadcasting would ever do such a thing.
A leading older people's campaign group claims that the BBC is "buying off" difficult over-75s now eligible to pay the TV licence fee buy offering them free TV licences.
Dennis Reed, Director of Silver Voices, said before the fee was introduced last August, the BBC accepted it would hit 4.6 million OAPs, but it progressively reduced that figure to 4.2 million.
Speaking to the Express, he said: "The BBC is trying to pretend their programme to persuade or bludgeon the over-75s to pay their TV licence fee is going to plan, when the reality is quite different.
"They keep reducing the number of non-payers by massaging the figures and refuse to answer straight questions.
"There is also evidence that difficult customers are being bought off locally with free licences, even though they don't qualify for them.
"All this false news does not alter the facts that up to one million over-75s have still not paid for their licence and attitudes are hardening among this hard core of refuseniks."
Mr Reed cited the cases of two Silver Voices members, who were offered a free TV licence to keep them quiet despite being ineligible for the concession.
A BBC spokesman said: "We have been clear and transparent throughout and provided regular updates on the numbers of older customers transitioning to the new system."