Tory allegations the BBC is biased against the party should considered when the licence fee is next up for renewal, the Culture Secretary Sajid Javid has said.

Tory MPs have accused the corporation of a left-wing bias in recent weeks as political parties clash in the run up to May's General Election.

The government and the BBC are due to enter what are expected top be tense negotiations on the renewal of the BBC charter next year, which coincides with the need for a new licence fee settlement.

Mr Javid said that everything should be on the table during the discussions.

Asked about Tory allegations of BBC bias, Mr Javid said: "There's will always be someone that is not quite happy. "

He added that "in the run up to the election is is not for the government to change anything until that charter review happens, to look at this and other issues, to see if there is evidence of this...

"These issues are all related and should be looked at with the BBC charter"

But he said it was "right" that politicians should not be involved in editorial decisions.

The BBC also faced accusations of bias against independence during the referendum campaign.

Last month BBC political editor Nick Robinson was cleared of being biased against the SNP .

In December the Chancellor George Osborne accuse the BBC of "hyperbolic .. nonsense" in how it described a report on the effect of cutting public spending to 1930s levels.

Labour's deputy leader Harriet Harman has also warned that Tory ministers must not allow political bias to influence the appointment of the next chair of the BBC Trust.

Lord Patten, the current chair, is standing down.

Mr Harman said: "It is imperative that the appointment must be made on merit and not on party political lines."