BBC slammed over vote night coverage

Critics have slammed the BBC for spending licence fee payers’ cash on four separate programmes on referendum night.

While viewers across the UK will be able to watch STV’s broadcast on ITV, the BBC is putting on individual programmes for Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the UK network.

That’s on top of separate radio programmes on BBC Scotland and Gaelic service Radio Nan Gaidheal and a three-hour special on BBC Alba. The cost to the BBC is expected to run to millions.

TaxPayers’ Alliance director John O’Connell said: “Everyone knows how important this referendum is, but it does rather appear as if the BBC might be overegging the pudding. ”

A BBC Scotland spokesman said: “The extensive programming we are producing will reflect the huge public interest in the result.”