BBC ‘sacked’ me over anti-Starmer song Freezing This Christmas, says freelance journalist
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Parody song ‘Freezing This Christmas’ criticised Labour’s winter fuel payment cut. The BBC journalist responsible for the satirical political hit Freezing This Christmas has claimed he was let go from his role at the corporation following the song’s release.
![[Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Chancellor Rachel Reeves have been criticised for reducing the scope of the winter fuel allowance (Stefan Rousseau/PA)]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/09/13/00/37f659d5ab758a6d5af388603864c7fcY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzI2MjM2Njc0-2.76575408.jpg)
Chris Middleton, a freelance newsreader for BBC Newcastle, said he was informed he could no longer work for the broadcaster after admitting he was behind the parody, which takes aim at Sir Keir Starmer over cuts to winter fuel payments for pensioners.
![[It comes after his The Scottish Government delayed its devolved version of the winter fuel payment after cuts to eligibility by the UK Government (PA)]](https://static.independent.co.uk/2024/11/27/12/b7597f1c5c13a11848d084bb53572a9dY29udGVudHNlYXJjaGFwaSwxNzMyNzk3MTM0-2.77636764.jpg)
However, Mr Middleton has now alleged that he paid a personal price for the song, claiming he was “let go” by the BBC because of a “conflict of interest.”. He had worked at the broadcaster for six years, but said that after informing his bosses he planned to promote the song publicly, he was told: “You can’t work here anymore.”.
Speaking to GB News, he explained: “I was told, because it was a conflict of interest, it would be against the BBC’s impartiality rules to allow me to continue my job as a newsreader while also putting out a song which of course was political, but the main goal of it was to raise money and raise awareness for pensioners.”.
Released under the name Sir Starmer and the Granny Harmers, the song struck a chord with the public, climbing the UK charts and raising more than £50,000 for the charity Age UK. Mr Middleton said he “mulled over” the decision to reveal his identity but eventually decided it was thr right course of action to raise as much money as possible.
