[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".

 

[rogersix]

yes it really is the point when taken in the context of what i wrote................surely even you are capable of that level of comprehension.

see post below yours, i've explained it all for you

 

[One Teddy Maybank]

Being pedantic, being freelance means he isn’t paid a ‘salary’.

You have mentioned Lord Sugar, but there have been numerous other examples given in this thread alone. Patrick Moore, Chris Packham, Fiona Bruce, Laura Kuenssberg etc
Some of whom have had complaints against them dismissed because they are freelance, and entitled to personal views.

It is total hypocrisy from politicians to cry foul than some of them were comparing taking the knee, to Hitlers Nazi salute during the Euros.
Lineker is being targeted because the Tories want to target him (for distraction or to silence him) and it has backfired.

Agree with your second para. The third doesn’t apply without Lineker contribution.

Sorry Thunder, not commenting any more. You always put over a good argument, I just simply don’t agree…..

 

[5Ways Gull]

Well saying he needs to be quiet etc whilst having strong links to the tory party.

I can't help but wonder if Lineker has kicked this off deliberately to demonstrate the level of Tory support at the top in the BBC. We have a General Election within a couple of years and as things stand I can see different levels of impartiality imposed by the BBC dependent on the party benefitting from a news item/comment during that GE.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

The Chris Packham complaint letter posted previously shows that freelance and non news employees are not included in that policy.

Just to clarify what the BBC said and how freelance is not under the same policy

 

[pastafarian]

Of course he was referring to the Nazis.

I just fail to see what relevance a handful of people on social media denying this (according to you) has to this thread. It's just an irrelevance.

Umm.......You and i and everyone sensible understand it was a reference to the Nazis.
All i did was reply to @GT49er, who it appears, has come to the same conclusion as me about the daft Nazi deniers....... i havnt read the whole thread but his comment suggests there might be an idiotic denier on NSC................could prob have a good guess who
Its never irrelevant to reply to someone else.

 

[Originunknown]

The Chris Packham complaint letter posted previously shows that freelance and non news employees are not included in that policy.

I don't see Johnny Cantor using his Twitter account to further his vendetta or for political point scoring.

 

[Guinness Boy]

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.

I would suggest that Lineker as a presenter is completely consistent with Andrew Neil who was a high profile political presenter for years and also did General Elections. It's almost exactly the same thing, except for Lineker is famous for sport whereas Neil is a biased figurehead in politics

 

[Stat Brother]

I can't help but wonder if Lineker has kicked this off deliberately to demonstrate the level of Tory support at the top in the BBC. We have a General Election within a couple of years and as things stand I can see different levels of impartiality imposed by the BBC dependent on the party benefitting from a news item/comment during that GE.

No he hasn't.
He's been chipping away for a very long time and clearly the noise from Westminster has finally got to loud for the BBC to ignore.


What's odd is somehow the government has made something easily ignored into an almighty clusterf**k of a shitshow in which they come out of it looking like Nazis.

So out of character.

 

[Bob!]

He’s working for an ‘impartial’ organisation. I am in a similar position with my own role, there is plenty of inaccurate nonsense I see on social media (and here) relating to things I’ve witnessed, but I don’t get involved, as I would potentially be subject to disciplinary measures. (Freelance argument doesn’t work for me either all the time he’s taking a salary).

What I would say is that the BBC do need to be consistent though and Sugar particularly seems not to have been subjected to the same scrutiny.

Must admit I don’t have 8.7m followers

Anyway, said the same on the other thread….. not getting involved in the same discussion. Others disagree which is fine. All opinions.

A big part of the reason for this blowing up is that the organisation is no longer impartial.

It has been loaded with Tory Government friends to move the organisation away from impartiality and towards supporting this (corrupt) Government.

 

[sydney]

Oh I'm outraged now am I? TBH I initially thought you'd posted it forgetting to put a link or quotes, but your slight ridiculous responses to me pointing it out now make me think you were trying to pass it off as your own. Now call me a 'lefty lawyer' or something

i think we know you hold a grudge ....you continuously dodge the issue and put your own angle on stuff , i personally cant be arsed debating with you any more, even though we know we have a common past , i'm pretty sure if we ever had a few together we would end up having a great time or one of us would get sparked....you're just that type of guy....one thing is for sure , if people such as yourself think we can continue to take in 12 to15 k cashless immigrants a year , indefinitely , i'd be really interested to know what your vision is of the UK in 15 to 20 years from now.

 

[Boroseagull]

Just watched MOTD on iPlayer, as I usually do on a Sunday morning, and must say I enjoyed it. Far better without some (not all) of the punditry and the bias to the 'Big 6'. A refined program like this weekly but maybe with some basic commentary on the games would be very welcome.

I did note when you go to MOTD on iPlayer GL's picture is featured.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

I don't see Johnny Cantor using his Twitter account to further his vendetta or for political point scoring.

 

[Javeaseagull]

Half an hour of Brighton highlights coming up on Sky in 5 minutes. Much more than we get on MOTD.

 

[pastafarian]

what do you make of the 36 conservative party members writing to the bbc demanding lineker be sacked for speeking his mind as several other colleagues have done, it's just like a fledgling nazi germany, isn't it

what do you make of the 36 conservative party members writing to the bbc demanding lineker be sacked for speeking his mind as several other colleagues have done, it's just like a fledgling nazi germany, isn't it?

Where is the letter stating demanding sacking for "speaking his mind"?

 

[Originunknown]

View attachment 158212

It's a direct comparison between two professionals employed by the same organisation. No whataboutery about it, one leverages his position for political point scoring, the other does his job.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

It's a direct comparison between two professionals employed by the same organisation. No whataboutery about it, one leverages his position for political point scoring, the other does his job.

So, let’s compare professionals who are freelancers, rather than a BBC employee like JC.
I’ve already given examples of freelancers who have used their position for politics, and the BBC policy. Post 55.

 

[Jim in the West]

I can't help but wonder if Lineker has kicked this off deliberately to demonstrate the level of Tory support at the top in the BBC. We have a General Election within a couple of years and as things stand I can see different levels of impartiality imposed by the BBC dependent on the party benefitting from a news item/comment during that GE.

Yes, the real issue here is whether you can have an impartial BBC when so many of the people running it are very obviously partisan. Even if they try to protest their impartiality the majority of people will have their doubts...and that completely undermines trust in the BBC. The best thing that could happen here is - firstly - the Chair should resign. I actually think the government would be quite glad. He's a mate of Boris, and Sunak could get someone else in who is - hopefully - seen as less of a Tory party stooge. Secondly, the BBC must clarify it's guidance on social media use, and recognise that they can't "gag" contractors, etc. Thirdly, Tim Davie needs to seriously consider his position. What's happened is such a complete f*ck up that it seems inconceivable that staff can have confidence in his decision-making going forward.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Noone is interested in the context of what you wrote. What matters is the content of your post in the context of this thread.

To clarify, if I wrote about the Oscars on a matchday thread, you'd wonder if I'd missed the point of thread. You seem to have done exactly that.

How do you know what Craig Noone thinks about it? I’ll bet he couldn’t give a shit

 

[drew]

Where is the letter stating demanding sacking for "speaking his mind"?

The letter actually demands a full investigation and demanding an unreserved apology from Lineker. That would imply he other grovels of goes. Signed by the usual suspects.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

The BBC changed its impartiality rules applied to in 2020, effectively to cover high profile freelancers like Lineker.
Lineker’s tweet falls foul of this.
Although the BBC’s pick and choose application of its own rules (see your Alan Sugar tweet) would undermine them if this went further.

I’m sure Lineker’s lawyers will be all over it with a fine tooth comb.

Edit to add, I’ve checked the ruling on Chris Packham which was Sept 2021, as a freelance presenter. Lineker’s tweet isn’t covered by any changes in 2020 according to that ruling.