Plaid Cymru Euro MP Jill Evans has been fined by Pontypridd Magistrates Court today for refusing to pay her TV licence fee.
Ms Evans joined others in withholding the fee in protest at the UK Government’s decision to cut the funding of S4C and change the way the Welsh-language broadcaster is run.
On Friday, she was ordered fined £500 with £60 costs and a £15 victim surcharge – a total of £575. She has agreed to pay after pleading guilty.
Although a settlement has been reached regarding S4C until 2017, Ms Evans, speaking before the hearing, said that there is still much to be done with regards to the channel, and broadcasting in general in Wales.
Last month a deal was agreed where the bulk of S4C’s funding comes from BBC Wales.
Speaking before her court appearance she said: “The recent agreement between the BBC and S4C means there is funding certainty for the channel for the near future, as well as a degree of editorial independence, and for that reason I have decided I will once again pay my licence fee. The campaign has made a difference.”
Ms Evans believes that the events surrounding S4C has given Wales a chance to have a broader discussion regarding broadcasting.
She added: “The Westminster Government’s hasty decision threatened the very existence of S4C and was an attack on the Welsh language itself. That’s why I refused to pay my television licence as part of the campaign. As it is, S4C will face a cut every year until 2017 and there was no consultation with the Welsh Government or the people of Wales. It was as if devolution never happened.
“The campaign to secure good quality Welsh and English language broadcasting in Wales will continue and central to that is the demand to devolve broadcasting responsibilities to Wales.”
Dafydd Iwan, former President of Plaid Cymru, who has campaigned for the Welsh language for decades, supported Ms Evans.
He said: “Following the agreement between the BBC and S4C, we will be restarting the payment of our television licence fees. However, we will be calling for the establishment of a register of people in Wales who would be willing to withhold their licence fee if the future of S4C isn’t safeguarded beyond 2017. Before then, we want to see a full review of the situation with regards to broadcasting in Wales, including the need to devolve the responsibilities to the National Assembly.”
Some years ago a local. very well respected Plaid Cymru Councillor,( at the time) took radical illegal action and painted White Lines on a Road in Trecenydd, he did this because the Labour Council at the time refused to look at the issue of road safety of residents in the area, the action of that Plaid Cymru councillor resulted in the Labour Council very quickly reassessing their position and formally introducing road safety measures at that location.
Some years ago another Caerphilly councillor took a JCB to land in Lansbury Park because the council at the time refused to establish an allotment in that area, result, a new allotment was established.
But, I am sure Jill Evans actions will be doomed to failure, but at least she is having a go and breaking the law for the sake of a principal very much like her local council colleagues in the past. I wonder how such radical, illegal actions would now be viewed?.