[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".

 

[Greg Bobkin]

Losing the MOTD presenters is one thing, but if Garth pulls out of doing his Team of the Week that will be the final straw for me.

'The drama at Spurs continues, while one of its famous faces from the past, Gary Lineker was put on the subs bench at the weekend by BBC bosses. I can't say any more about it because, you know, impartiality and that.
Meanwhile, Moises Caicedo had another fantastic game for Brighton. But Leeds are awful. Really bad. Probably going to be relegated so there will be lots of work to do for the new manager.'

There you go, just in case you miss out!

 

[clapham_gull]

I’m sure most companies have social media policies and other HR policies and if you break them, you expect consequences.
Mine does and forms part of your annual recertification of contract.

So if the BBC have this policy for employment, then why does he expect no sanctions for breaking the rules ?

Well there are two points there. I personally think there is far much more to this than any perceived political interference. If you are a large employee if someone high profile "breaks the rules" and gets away with it, it's impossible to enforce them lower down because it gives that person an instant defence. See the Jeremy Clarkson incident as an example.

However if the rules aren't being consistently applied at the higher levels (and people have cited Andrew Neil and Alan Sugar as examples) they are equally controversial to apply to presenters like Lineker.

The rules aren't working and the application of the rules aren't working either. That's the issue.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Would you be comfortable with Albion players expressing their political views via Twitter?

The PFA have already said any players not wanting to give the BBC an interview tomorrow have their backing.

 

[Seaview Seagull]

There were some inferred questions in my post Why do people want to come here? and why do they seek to do so illegally? Or I am I to assume that you are in favour of totally unregulated immigration. Good luck with selling that as a policy. Obviously you must subscribe to the sort of rubbish that Lineker tweets whereas contrary to what he says the Uk has the second largest immigration in Europe after Germany

You are mixing up refugees and economic migrants. As you have been told several times the only way a refugee can claim asylum here is by being here already. There are no "legal routes. " Actually international law would suggest a refugee can never be illegal.

 

[Stat Brother]

I'd imagine the shite Rashford puts up with, on a daily basis from red faced racist gammons, is enough to keep.most players quiet.

 

[BadFish]

If the conservative policy is not the one and I'm not saying one way or another whether it is, all I'm met with is deafening silence when it comes to alternatives. Maybe Starmer, Lineker et al should turn their attention to that

The alternatives are set out in the UN refugee and human rights policy. Followed by many other countries around the world but sadly ignored by conservative policy.

Your right wing press has got its foot on the throat of this issue though and is unlikely to allow much movement back to a reasonable solution.

 

[drew]

Would really screw the BBC coverage if the commentators also chose not to work tomorrow (especially on 5live).

 

[LamieRobertson]

Losing the MOTD presenters is one thing, but if Garth pulls out of doing his Team of the Week that will be the final straw for me.

you’ll be pleased to know that he’s being considered as a replacement for next weekends coverage of our Cup game

 

[Shooting Star]

Come on Glenda, here's your chance!

This is what we should be focusing on!

 

[ROBS BROTHER]

You are mixing up refugees and economic migrants. As you have been told several times the only way a refugee can claim asylum here is by being here already. There are no "legal routes. " Actually international law would suggest a refugee can never be illegal.

The whole point is that if they were seeking asylum they could already have done so. Ergo they must be illegal economic migrants

 

[zefarelly]

Last leg

 

[Eric the meek]

I'd imagine the shite Rashford puts up with, on a daily basis from red faced racist gammons, is enough to keep.most players quiet.

Try DCL, who continues to undergo the most vile racist and homophobic abuse, including from HIS OWN EVERTON FANS, which has led to serious mental health problems.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

Unsurprisingly, people are letting the political debate he referred to cloud the heart of the issue. Lineker has chosen to work for the one TV company where impartiality is enshrined. This isn't about the rights and wrongs of what he has said. This is about whether he's gone too far as a BBC presenter.

The better discussion to have is whether the BBC can ever achieve full impartiality, or what should that look like in practice.

The whole point many of us have made, several times is BBC employees are not impartial, with lots of examples already given.
Gary Lineker is not a BBC employee, but self employed.

 

[Hugo Rune]

My sole point is that if you work for a company that requires you to to sign up to not expressing political opinions you shouldn’t. If you choose to, you live with the consequences. I kind of hope Lineker doesn’t back down but I think he might.

This is great, but technically, he doesn’t work for the BBC and has only signed up to not expressing political opinions on BBC output. I believe Peston has debunked.

 

[Wozza]

No presenters or pundits on MOTD tomorrow, I guess that means more football, why’s not to like? I don’t need to have games explained to me either. No “what has happened at “insert BIG club”

Possibly no commentary either!

Even less to ruin your enjoyment!

 

[clapham_gull]

Would you be comfortable with Albion players expressing their political views via Twitter?

I'd think it very odd that anyone would have a problem with them doing so.

I reiterate what I said above. If their employee had a problem just separate the channel / platform.

"These are my own views and do not represent the views of BHAFC"

There is a clear compromise in the terms of MOTD presenters and potentially our players if they wish to do that.

Do not allow than "channel" to become a defacto promotional device for your employer. Issue I think solved.

 

[portslade seagull]

Try DCL, who continues to undergo the most vile racist and homophobic abuse, including from HIS OWN EVERTON FANS, which has led to serious mental health problems.

Why does he stay there and the club should be doing there upmost to ban every single fan

 

[Thunder Bolt]

It depends. People escaping war, persecution, conflict or violence, I agree with you.

Others coming to the UK uninvited and not subject to the above, we should have a system. To my knowledge no western country has an unlimited open doors policy. The deportation numbers from our nearest neighbours are accelerating fast.

I support free speech of course. But I don’t believe in likening us to a regime where the murders of opponents and Jews started almost on day one. Imho rhetoric or wild exaggeration should be the preserve of ill informed keyboard warriors.

80% of those who apply for asylum here are granted it.
Britain takes in fewer than most European countries.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

 

[portlock seagull]

Would really screw the BBC coverage if the commentators also chose not to work tomorrow (especially on 5live).

It would also be unprofessional, we the public shouldn’t suffer although Micah Richards striking in solidarity weakens this argument