Gary Lineker, BBC and Freedom of Speech - Read OP

kowloonkev · 13-03-2023 5:41am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120348771#Comment_120348771

It's kind of like being on an internet forum for example. If you want to participate in the forum then you have to follow the rules. Some rules may seem bizarre and against free speech but then you have to realise, as the moderators will point out, that the rules are for the good of the whole to prevent chaos. Gary Lineker signed up to the rules and the moderator gave him a two week ban or equivalent.

I'm surprised some people on here haven't seen the similarities.

supermans ghost · 13-03-2023 6:46am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120351831#Comment_120351831

Great point, couldn’t have thought of a better illustration of the situation myself.

I’m afraid the Linekar lovers on this site will grasp at every straw to delude themselves into believing what he tweeted was not unbelievably crass and totally inappropriate, never mind an insult to all the victims of Nazi Germany. Unless you never lifted a history book when you reference 1930’s Germany, it quite clear who you are talking about.

Nosler · 13-03-2023 8:13am

As an aside, Gary earns £1.35m a year from the BBC.

That's a shocking amount of money to sit on a sofa and talk about football...

I'd have more respect for Gary if he had said something about human rights violations in Qatar against immigrant labour... Seemingly something like 500 asians died building the stadiums for thr world cup... that's a lot of people...

Zico · 13-03-2023 8:19am

The language being used in the UK is a lot like 1930's Germany. Fairly simple sentence but very hard for some to understand.

Suella Braverman makes statements that sound a lot like the Nazis. Now that sentence is referencing a UK minister acting like a Nazi, very different to the other one.

Bobeagleburger · 13-03-2023 8:36am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120351891#Comment_120351891

He did speak out against Qatar. Fully endorsed by the BBC too.

https://metro.co.uk/2022/11/20/gary-lineker-opens-bbcs-world-cup-coverage-with-passionate-criticism-of-qatar-and-its-human-rights-record-17793362/?_gl=1*15xfmav*_ga*QjczZGhOSXp3RGJhdHE5RF9naFpqQy1YbGUwYWZaWWVGRFNhR1pLN2ZiU0lqZzhsZ3M2a2lCRzRkWVlZV3hNeQ..

astrofool · 13-03-2023 9:06am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120351900#Comment_120351900

The snowflakes on the far right are failing basic cognitive tests at this point.

The tories aren't a fascist party thus are not Nazi's, that they are implementing similar policies to the 30's German government around immigration is a worry that Lineker has pointed out publicly. That the reaction was to use their contacts to get him taken off air (despite years of previous impartial commentary on social media by Lineker) is also a worry.

kneemos · 13-03-2023 9:07am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120351845#Comment_120351845

Jewish organisations have given him their support.

Boggles · 13-03-2023 9:16am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120351365#Comment_120351365

How easy it is to forget the shitstorm drummed up around Jeremy Clarkson

You mean his beyond creepy incel torture essay?

Don't think he was suspended from anything, was he?

Grayson · 13-03-2023 9:27am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120351996#Comment_120351996

This is the bit that got me.

How easy it is to forget the shitstorm drummed up around Jeremy Clarkson. And for what? Punching upwards against Royalty.

Clarkson was sacked from the BBC for literally punching someone.

It's also worth remembering that a load of right wing personalities who have been employed by the BBC went after Corbyn. They commented directly about the leader of the opposition. There's an argument that Linekar was commenting about a policy with human rights implication, and how refugees were being discussed. Yes, it implies a lot about the Tories but it wasn't a direct comment on a political party or politician. However if it crossed the line of impartiality, then surely others, like Alan Sugar, have breached the rules too. And yet there's utter silence about that from the people lambasting Linekar.

kowloonkev · 13-03-2023 9:32am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120352017#Comment_120352017

I believe Alan Sugar is not employed directly by the BBC and didn't sign a contract to obey the impartiality rules. Gary Lineker did.

Grayson · 13-03-2023 9:37am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120352028#Comment_120352028

Linekar isn't employed directly either. He's a contractor.

kowloonkev · 13-03-2023 9:38am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120352040#Comment_120352040

Did he agree to impartiality rules in his £1m+ contract?

This is a very simple internal workplace issue. Gary broke the rules he agreed to and is acting like that kid in school whose parent is a teacher and thinks he should have privileges. He's sneaky enough to know that a lot of people hate the BBC and the government more than him so he is guaranteed at least 50% of public approval.

kneemos · 13-03-2023 9:48am

Might be in for a big pay rise whatever happens. The BBC have him for a pittance apparently.

https://www.express.co.uk/sport/football/1745315/Gary-Lineker-news-pay-wages-ITV-BBC-Match-of-the-Day-Twitter-row-Suella-Braverman

Sudden Valley · 13-03-2023 10:00am

I think the whole situation reveals both that bbc stars do have a lot of power and that the conservatives do have alot of control of the piblic broadcaster. I wonder if Labour get in after the next election will they sack the Chairmam and put their own stooge in.

Grayson · 13-03-2023 10:00am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120352044#Comment_120352044

He didn't. There's even interviews before where he's stated that he's not bound by them because he's a sports presenter and not a news presenter. The rules are there to say that the people reporting on an issue can't take a side on an issue. It's not to stop every employee in the BBC from expressing a view on anything.

Here's stuff that Sugar has said and the BBC's reaction to a complaint about Andrew Neil.

Now, if Linekar is to be sacked for his views because all contractors and freelancers are held to the same standards as BBC employees, then the others should be too. And if it's not even about contracts, but about whether he should speak out, then the people saying he should shut up, should be saying the same about Sugar and neil.

Boggles · 13-03-2023 10:10am

Sir Alan once worked for the government and the BBC.

Impartial? Apparently so.

The BBC Trust found as long as he didn't bring his politics into his tv show he could do what he liked, although he was allowed bring his politics onto a separate BBC show.

So if Gary just made his comments on another BBC show and not Twitter he would be fine.

😂

Seth Brundle · 13-03-2023 10:20am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120352028#Comment_120352028

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120352044#Comment_120352044

You make bold claims as if you know what you're talking about but at the same time post incorrect details.

He is a contractor, not employed.

Now for the tweets themselves, this is what he tweeted that has gathered a reaction...

https://twitter.com/GaryLineker/status/1633094764865126400

...and...

https://twitter.com/GaryLineker/status/1633111662352891908

He didn't express anything impartial, the video of Braverman is beyond awful to any right minded person. It comtains some inaccuracies and is worded in such a way to get a reaction (e.g. use of the word hotels rather than accommodation to help create a sense of privilege within asylum seekers). In his second tweet, he merely criticised language being used. His tweet did not post anything that is not correct and unverifiable. In addition, whilst Lineker's tweet resulted in a discussion in Westminster of him needing to be punished, other BBC personalities have posted vehemently political tweets and public comments towards opposition politicians and personalities and not a word was said by the BBC management or by the Tories & the DUP.

As for him breaking the "rules", the BBC confirmed in 2018 that Lineker was free to use social media. They literally stated the following, so how does this break the "rules he agreed to" as you put it?

Gary is not involved in any news or political output for the BBC, and as such, any expression of his personal political views, does not affect the BBC's impartiality,

...so how did he break the rules in your view?

The problem with this whole affair is that the issue is not Lineker, it is the clear political pressure being leant on the BBC to remove any dissenting voices, all the while chipping away at yet another British sacred institution. Now whilst this censorship spectacularly backfired, it is not the first time that the BBC has been swayed towards the curent government. That the BBC chair is a Tory donor and close friend of Johnson and worked with Sunak (Sunak actually worked for him at Goldman Sachs) is an obvious benefit to those who want to change the BBC whilst stamping out anti-government criticism.

Boggles · 13-03-2023 10:30am

It's worth reminding ourselves about Braverman.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/oct/25/outcry-suella-braverman-return-home-secretary

The rules are very much elastic when it comes to this coven of snakes.

BattleCorp · 13-03-2023 10:36am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120350797#Comment_120350797

Yeah, my post was nothing to do with Clarkeson. I was only talking about the Lineker case.

Lineker didn't post it on the BBC website. I could understand the requirement to put up a warning if the article was hosted on the BBC website, i.e. if Lineker was doing an opinion piece for the BBC. But that's not what happened. He posted it on his own personal twitter.

I think we are miles away from the media/gobshytes on Twitter etc. allowing freedom of expression. Lineker is lucky in that nearly everyone he worked with backed him immediately, e.g. Ian Wright, Alan Shearer etc. Safety in numbers.

By the way, when I say freedom of expression, I don't mean calling for the death of someone/a race of people etc. There have to be some limits, but I'd be very liberal with those limits. I'd even allow racially insensitive jokes etc.

Boggles · 13-03-2023 10:46am

The BBC will apologise and reinstate him immediately.

I can't see how those at the top can honestly stay in their jobs, but this is Britain 2023. 🤷‍♀️

yaboyabobotpl · 13-03-2023 10:48am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120348530#Comment_120348530

Right wing governments are destroying our world as we knew it.

The rich get richer and the poor idiots scraping by, still believe them.

Good Man Gary Lineker!

ohnonotgmail · 13-03-2023 10:53am

I find it amusing that the types who are normally on here complaining about people being cancelled think the BBC are on the right side in this.

elperello · 13-03-2023 11:05am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120352268#Comment_120352268

Reported now on Sky News.

They think it's all over.

VinLieger · 13-03-2023 11:24am

Linekar saying on twitter he will be back next saturday

https://twitter.com/GaryLineker/status/1635220356737937413

BBC made to look like fools

Augme · 13-03-2023 11:32am

An embarrassing stand down for Tim Davie.

kowloonkev · 13-03-2023 11:37am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120352166#Comment_120352166

I didn't say Gary was employed by the BBC. I said Alan Sugar was not employed by them.

You referred to a 2018 statement but I believe since then the BBC have reviewed and updated their expectations of presenters regarding social media.

There is whataboutery here regarding Alan Sugar but they all have different contracts and conditions. Sugar is not really a face of the BBC as much as Gary is.

I agree that there is a problem within the BBC and consistency is needed regarding these issues. That doesn't mean that they were not responding to what happened correctly as per the contracts signed which we don't know the details of. I highly doubt the BBC and their team of lawyers did anything against the contracts. Gary was never going to be sacked, cancelled or even docked salary as was the nonsense spouted in this thread.

Ultimately the BBC were dealing with a screaming toddler in a supermarket, with all eyes on them, and in the end they decided to give him whatever it was he wanted.

elperello · 13-03-2023 11:39am

It is now 🙂

Boggles · 13-03-2023 11:40am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120352456#Comment_120352456

Ultimately the BBC were dealing with a screaming toddler in a supermarket, with all eyes on them, and in the end they decided to give him whatever it was he wanted

His first comments since he was suspended were 20 minutes ago after the BBC apologised to him.

😂

Water John · 13-03-2023 11:52am

A good few posters here, screaming that the BBC were right, have right egg on their faces. Anyone of them willing to venture here and accept they got it wrong.

ArmaniJeanss · 13-03-2023 11:54am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120352456#Comment_120352456

That's quite the fictitious interpretation of the last week.

Lineker has said nothing for the last week, whilst various Tory MPs (up to the Home Secretary) and right-wing commentators having been loudly demanding his disciplining/removal.

I'm never a fan of the screaming toddler analogy, but if we must use it then Lineker is the one who comes across as the stoic and patient parent in this case.

Gary Lineker, BBC and Freedom of Speech - **Read OP**

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Gary Lineker, BBC and Freedom of Speech - Read OP