[Stuart]

The BBC is not a state broadcaster, no, but you could still fund it via another tax if appropriate safeguards were in place. A separate hypothecated element of Council Tax, that went straight to the BBC, for example would do this.

There is no reason the government couldn’t “collect” the tax on behalf of the BBC. This wouldn’t politicise the BBC itself as such an arrangement would be agreed far into the future, so would continue regardless of who was in government.

There is no justification for doing it through general taxation or the Council Tax, regardless of safeguards.

I pay for the TVL because I consume their services and I also watch/record live TV from other channels. However, if I didn't meet the criteria for a TVL, then I would be rather annoyed about a backdoor method to make me do so in another way.

The funding model certainly needs to be addressed, but this is not the answer.