BAD TV or rip-off licenses would be the grim reality of an independent Scotland, a Labour politician has warned.

The Scottish Government has set out a framework for broadcasting in the event of a Yes vote next month, including setting up a new independent broadcaster. The independence white paper says the Scottish Broadcasting Service would provide the same level of broadcasting as BBC Scotland currently does, and that it would continue to use BBC content.

But Labour shadow Scottish secretary Margaret Curran yesterday slammed the proposals as “uncosted, untested and completely unrealistic.”

Former BBC Scotland news chief Blair Jenkins, who is now chief executive of the Yes Scotland campaign, insisted independence would be a “win-win for Scottish people and Scottish production companies.” He has argued that more jobs would be created as result of independent broadcasting.

Ms Curran said an independent broadcaster’s budget could be just £257 million a year, whereas the BBC currently blows £160 million on its six top shows.

She told an audience in Glasgow that “The proposals in the white paper fail all the key tests of finance, quality and the ability to support the creative industries in Scotland.

“Their numbers don’t add up and it means something simple for Scottish consumers — accept lower quality TV programmes or pay a higher licence fee to buy back what you already have.”

But Mr Jenkins insisted: “There is no credible scenario in which we will not be watching BBC programmes and services we currently enjoy.

“The bonus is, like other small European countries, we will have our own domestic production base, which means more Scottish content, and definitely more jobs.”