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Sir Keir Starmer has been warned against scrapping Freeview TV as campaigners handed in a major petition. The Silver Voices campaign group took a petition signed by more than 143,000 people to 10 Downing Street, calling for traditional terrestrial services to stay until the 2040s.

It comes as Freeview could be switched off in 2034, meaning all homes would need to access the internet to watch television. Speaking outside No 10, Silver Voices director Dennis Reed said: “We’re really hoping that 10 Downing Street will take notice of this and actually get a grip on the political implications because the Departments of Culture and Science and Technology are treating this very much as a technical transition exercise and they’re not seeing it as something that has got major political connotations.

“Seventeen million people each week have a look at Freeview and many millions more could watch Freeview because they still have an aerial.

“Surely the Government sees that removing the choice of 17 million people from watching Freeview is something which is really going to harm them politically.

“That’s why we’re going to 10 Downing Street and sending a letter to the Prime Minister asking him to get a grip on the situation and put a halt to this.”

Mr Reed raised concerns over older people who do not have access to the internet being made to feel like “second-class citizens”.

He said: “Very many older people don’t have any online access anyway and if they do have online access often they’re not able to cope with the digital skills required to actually access TV.

“So millions of older people if this goes through will either be forced to buy an expensive broadband contract or basically not watch television at all.

“They’ll be isolated from society if we have major crises like the pandemic or major celebrations like a World Cup win then older people will not be able to share in that and they will feel like second-class citizens.”

The petition is backed by Tory MP David Mundell, Labour MPs Luke Akehurst and Lorraine Beavers, as well as peers Baroness Hoey and Lord Dodds, and is supported by the Broadcast Coalition and the Digital Poverty Alliance.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport said: “We are committed to ensuring that no-one is left behind as TV viewing increasingly moves to online platforms.

“That is why the government is currently working across the TV sector on a long-term sustainable approach to TV distribution in the UK. This will include a decision, as soon as possible, on whether to extend the current commitment to digital terrestrial television beyond 2034.”