BBC staff are to see an overhaul of their terms and conditions of employment which would see overtime overtime curtailed and a generous allowance for employees forced to work unsocial hours amended.

Whilst such measures will do nothing to plug a funding blackhole, they are described as 'revenue neutral' over the next two years.

The swathe of changes to the broadcasters terms and conditions of employment would freeze allowances for working unpredictable hours for new workers while newly employed staff would miss out altogether. Overtime payments will also be done away with completely in favour of offering staff time off in lieu.

Other perks and bonuses are also in line for the chop, or at least severely curtailed, with employees banned from claiming for taxis if public transport is available and reductions to ‘acting up’ pay where someone is asked to stand in for a role above their own salary level.

It is thought likely that these proposals will be rejected by staff at an upcoming ballot this August, raising the spectre of industrial action. A BBC spokesperson remarked: “These new proposals set out a simpler and fairer way of working which recognise the demands of a modern broadcasting organisation. The proposals include support for the lowest paid employees and would ensure we have support in place for those who need it, while also ending complexities and outdated allowances so we operate more efficiently.”

The latest schism to fracture the BBC’s newsroom follows a decision to name employees earning more than £150k per year, a decision which the broadcaster’s top political journalist acknowledged would be ‘uncomfortable for all of us’.

BBC bosses have also determined that they must reduce the amount they spend on presenters, editors and correspondents by 10% over the next five years.