THE Barrow MP Simon Fell spoke on BBC Radio Cumbria against the proposed cuts to local radio content. 

Under new plans announced last year, all 39 networks in England will keep their current schedule from 6am to 2pm, but after that shows will be shared across a region. There will be one national show from 10pm across the week and on Sunday afternoons. 

The BBC will move resources toward digital content. 

Mr Fell said on Radio Cumbria on Wednesday, July 3 that he and '210 or so' charities were worried about what the cuts would mean.

He said: "I think for us in Cumbria, what you're leaning into is a complete loss of Cumbrian identity on the radio shows. 

"We're almost talking about halving the amount of local content on the radio.

"These proposals are going to mean you’re far more likely to hear from Birkenhead than Barrow or from Preston than Ulverston." 

In June, the BBC director general Tim Davie defended the cuts in a House of Commons committee. He said that there will not be a 'big change' in local headcount or budget. 

He said that local radio audiences had declined by 20 per cent in recent years.