[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".

 

[Pevenseagull]

I'm reliably informed from Vienna this evening that this news story is being reported in Austria tonight and that the general opinion is they're just very sorry for us at how this country has ended up.

Austrians feel sorry for us - give your head a wobble gammons.

Gone full Streisand effect.

Totally incompetent handling of the situation.

 

[BadFish]

An ex GF of mine was unable to watch "Inglourious Basterds" when it was on the telly, finding the opening scenes unbearably upsetting. She's German. It was a massive wake-up call to me....

Anyway, despite the whataboutery, missquoting and lies, the tory placement who run the BBC will have to backtrack pretty sharpish, I suspect, before they make themselves a laughing stock.

@Tom Hark Preston Park has insinuated the likes of Shearer and Wright are backing GL because they are frightened of being 'cancelled' on Twitter. Despite his subsequent caveating, the basic premise strikes me as silly.

And at the same time others are suggesting that most people think GL has gone too far.

The truth of the matter is GL stated a fair opinion in a fair way. And it has triggered the loony right. And lots of decent people have signaled their support for GL. Good. No sensible person has expressed disapproval. Mad Nad and gang are not sensible.

​

An excellent summary of where we are at.

I suppose what we are left with is the rule out contact that GL has it had not broken, the precidents that have been set before and the BBC's next move.

I am pleased that finally your government has been called out. I am surprised that it has been football that had made them most noise and feel like it is 10 years to late but all this publicity is hopefully another nail in the coffin.

Although it was mentioned in another thread that they still have 22 months. Which is nothing short of terrifying.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Gary Lineker was singled out from a long list of BBC stars who express political views

From Alan Sugar and Karren Brady to Richard Osman and Nadiya Hussain, there is nothing new about TV presenters writing about politics

www.theguardian.com

Great article. Extra points for not passing it off as your own work.

 

[Springal]

 

[Chicken Run]

Whoever agrees or disagrees is not in my gift HWT, Though it's more the latter!

You're an old school paid up labour member and I agree with/like your political reasoning often, even though I'm not.

Is a wokeworrier like, similar to being endorsed by Trump? I'll look forward to my Nigel Farage merchandise from the postie next week!

Tell you who is absolutely loving the Lineker storm in a teacup.

Matt Hancock.

Don’t forget Prince Andrew….

 

[chrisg]

I’ve not read 63 pages , but just had a thought that next weekend FA cup tie on BBC1 could be in danger of being not shown if this isn’t resolved by Friday.
Man City on BBC on Saturday too.

 

[ManOfSussex]

Don’t forget Prince Andrew….

As a long time NSCer and undoubtedly one of the better thinkers on here, what's your brief take on Gary Lineker and the BBC Storm?

 

[Chicken Run]

As a long time NSCer and undoubtedly one of the better thinkers on here, what's your brief take on Gary Lineker and the BBC Storm?

Shocking

 

[Berty23]

Didn't dismiss the views of NSC at all, just saying we may not be representative of all Brighton fans. I've no idea of course what all Brighton fans believe or feel. I was just relaying the pub conversation as an example of 1. An alternative view and 2. This view appeared to point to little of the outrage that some on here are feeling. Not sure why you are 'calling BS' on that'?

Maybe NSC more in tune with the people that EVERYONE in the pub?

 

[Questions]

It’s all something over nothing really.
Bring back Ken Wolstenholme

 

[Wozza]

Meanwhile.... 36 Tory MPs and peers are demanding a full unreserved apology from Lineker ("at the very least") AND a "full independent investigation".

You'd think they'd wait for the latter before asking for the former, but no. Almost like they've made up their minds!

The action is spearheaded by Sir John Hayes, chairman of the Common Sense Group (no really) who has described Lineker as "very militant", "extreme" and a "football pundit" (!!) on Five Live this evening.

Hayes couldn't explain why Lord Sugar was freely allowed to make anti-Corbyn statements whilst employed by the BBC.

For the avoidance of doubt, Hayes is a ****.

UPDATE:

Of course, the guy who wants to cancel Lineker hates Cancel Culture...

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Should MoTD be shown tonight looking forward to seeing football and only football. I will make my own mind up on the standard of attack, defence etc. Hopefully like we all do without so called expert's.

You could always have turned the sound down.

You remind me of the man who thought he was blind, only to discover he was wearing too large a hat.

 

[A1X]

Hayes couldn't explain why Lord Sugar was freely allowed to make anto-Corbyn statements whilst employed by the BBC.

This bit really does keep catching them out, some Tory goon was reduced to a frothing mess about this this morning.

 

[Machiavelli]

I fear that you’re showing a lack of understanding of the uniqueness of the BBC in British (probably the world’s) media.

‘Due impartiality’ is an absolutely central tenet of its Charter and every employee/contractor knows that.

Hope all is going well.
As you've pointed out with the unclear guidelines, the BBC doesn't even know what 'due impartiality' means.
And that's because it's ultimately meaningless. As pointed out previously, it's 'due impartiality' and the way in which it's wielded that's causing the BBC its current (and recent) problems. It's too unwieldy. They need to have something more specific such as, for instance, impartial with regard to political parties (which should be applied to those working in news).
I'd rather that they did employ people with party and other political allegiances, so long as they treated their interviewees fairly -- Nick Robinson and Jeremy Paxman, for instance, both have aligned themselves with conservatism and/or the Conservative Party, but they're excellent -- but, unfortunately, we're now in such a desperate situation that anyone working in the BBC news has to operate under a facade.

 

[clapham_gull]

Great article. Extra points for not passing it off as your own work.

There is clear inconsistency as I've posted much earlier, but Lineker as a "presenter" is not consistent with the other examples.

Irrespective of his employment basis he has become one of the "faces" of the BBC, a brand ambassador if you like and his salary very much reflects that.

He isn't just a pundit, he presents flagship events like the Sports Personality of The Year and the Euros and The World Cup when it comes around.

Clarkson was the same but much more internationally.

Another individual who is consistently critical of the Government (far much more than Lineker) is Deborah Meaden. But she doesn't really have that association.

This is the complication.

But it's a complication caused by out of date and unclear rules when somebody is understandably riled by the way the current government likes to communicate and divide.

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

Meanwhile.... 36 Tory MPs and peers are demanding a full unreserved apology from Lineker ("at the very least") AND a "full independent investigation".

You'd think they'd wait for the latter before asking for the former, but no. Almost like they've made up their minds!

The action is spearheaded by Sir John Hayes, chairman of the Common Sense Group (no really) who has described Lineker as "very militant", "extreme" and a "football pundit" (!!) on Five Live this evening.

Hayes couldn't explain why Lord Sugar was freely allowed to make anti-Corbyn statements whilst employed by the BBC.

For the avoidance of doubt, Hayes is a ****.

It's as if Barry Fantoni is scripting the tories....

Will he instruct them all to do a little dance and bark like a dog?

I jolly well hope so

 

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

There is clear inconsistency as I've posted much earlier, but Lineker as a "presenter" is not consistent with the other examples.

Irrespective of his employment basis he has become one of the "faces" of the BBC, a brand ambassador if you like and his salary very much reflects that.

He isn't just a pundit, he presents flagship events like the Sports Personality of The Year and the Euros and The World Cup when it comes around.

Clarkson was the same but much more internationally.

Another individual who is consistently critical of the Government (far much more than Lineker) is Deborah Meaden. But she doesn't really have that association.

This is the complication.

But it's a complication caused by out of date and unclear rules when somebody is understandably riled by the way the current government likes to communicate and divide.

It is important to have unclear and inconsistent rules when you are . . . . Johnson.

And, oh dear, how sad, now the tories have no traction with this, due to opacity, other than hubris and hope.

Hoist by their own de Pfeffeltard.

 

[clapham_gull]

Anyone else struggling a bit with Alistair Campbell's reaction to all this.....

 

[A1X]

So who’s watching the GB News version then? I assume we’re being criticised because we’re Brighton and thus all lefties and woke.

 

[BadFish]

There is clear inconsistency as I've posted much earlier, but Lineker as a "presenter" is not consistent with the other examples.

Irrespective of his employment basis he has become one of the "faces" of the BBC, a brand ambassador if you like and his salary very much reflects that.

He isn't just a pundit, he presents flagship events like the Sports Personality of The Year and the Euros and The World Cup when it comes around.

Clarkson was the same but much more internationally.

Another individual who is consistently critical of the Government (far much more than Lineker) is Deborah Meaden. But she doesn't really have that association.

This is the complication.

But it's a complication caused by out of date and unclear rules when somebody is understandably riled by the way the current government likes to communicate and divide.

Have we managed to find the rule which he may or may not have broken? Are we any closer to understanding if it should apply to him and if it is similar to the letters dealing with complaints of other BBC freelancers.

I suppose all this will be looked at by lawyers and come out in the wash

Apologies but I have missed much of this thread over night.

Although a reality show where we get to vote off the major players in this would be a ratings success I feel.