[Football] Gary Lineker to step back from presenting MOTD

[Titanic]

Gary Lineker to step back from presenting MOTD

Gary Lineker to step back from presenting Match of the Day until agreement reached on social media use - BBC statement

www.bbc.co.uk

Gary Lineker is to step back from presenting Match of the Day until an agreement is reached on his social media use - BBC statement.
It follows an impartiality row over comments he made criticising the government's new asylum policy.
In a tweet, the presenter had compared the language used by the government to set out its plan to "that used by Germany in the 30s".

 

[pocketseagull]

Yep….but where do you draw that line on affiliation

Tim Davie (BBC Director General) stood as a councillor for the Conservative Party in Hammersmith in 1993 and 1994[9][10] and was deputy chairman of the Hammersmith and Fulham Conservative party in the 1990s.[11][12]

Does that cross the line for you?

 

[St Leonards Seagull]

 

[LamieRobertson]

Does the 5 Live sport gone include England v France from Twickenham?

If it does …u can always watch it on ITV

 

[rogersix]

Yep….but where do you draw that line on affiliation

money changing hands, one way or t'other

 

[Pevenseagull]

Would have been interesting if Lineker's political stripes were of a different colour and he'd tweeted in support of Sunak's plans ....etc

he'd have got a knighthood

 

[LamieRobertson]

Does that cross the line for you?

Lol….I’m not the one making the rules or appointing anyone so best ask someone who does ..grief

 

[rogersix]

But would they back his right to work if he shared views with, say, Laurence Fox.

whatabout who?

 

[jcdenton08]

he'd have got a knighthood

Really? Is that how it works?

 

[nealrogers]

But would they back his right to work if he shared views with, say, Laurence Fox.

What's with all the whataboutary? Stick to what has actually happened, not some imaginary reality.

 

[LamieRobertson]

money changing hands, one way or t'other

Putting the money aside …finding people with no strong bias either way? Not easy.

 

[ManOfSussex]

If it does …u can always watch it on ITV

Which I will be, I was just wondering if the radio commentary of it has been pulled too on 5 Live.

 

[LamieRobertson]

What's with all the whataboutary? Stick to what has actually happened, not some imaginary reality.

 

[Pevenseagull]

Really? Is that how it works?

No, in fairness it's normally down to money

 

[LamieRobertson]

Which I will be, I was just wondering if the radio commentary of it has been pulled too on 5 Live.

….don’t know …

 

[jcdenton08]

What's with all the whataboutary? Stick to what has actually happened, not some imaginary reality.

 

[Wozza]

But would they back his right to work if he shared views with, say, Laurence Fox.

You're missing the suspension bit again.

The BBC wouldn't suspend an employee for airing right-wing views. See: Alan Sugar.

 

[nealrogers]

And your point is?...

 

[Stato]

Would have been interesting if Lineker's political stripes were of a different colour and he'd tweeted in support of Sunak's plans and had got dropped as a result. Doubt we'd have seen the scores of presenters dropping out in defence of his right to free speech.

This has little to do with the concept of free speech and rather what kinds of free speech are acceptable. Indeed, we'd probably have seen Wrighty, Shearer and Scott all vying to jump in his grave if he'd espoused pro-government views and was dropped.

That particular whataboutism might not immediately fall flat on its face if it were not for the evidence that only one type of free speech is actually under threat. Nobody has pulled up other BBC stars not working in current affairs for their spouting of unquestionably party political messages on Twitter, because nobody from the government whined about it, no newspapers whose editors have their fingers crossed that Boris will get them the peerage this time have splashed the story all over their front pages all week. No Labour activists have been parachuted into management jobs at a supposedly apolitical broadcaster.

Lineker has effectively been told that if he continues to speak, he will not be employed.

Not about free speech? The mental gymnastics required to reach that conclusion are so impressive that you'd almost think that they'd been done deliberately to try to muddy the water....

 

[LamieRobertson]

Lol ….it’s a term used only when it suits there side of the argument

 

[BNthree]