Forum Topic

Gary Lineker latest: No apology from presenter as Match of the Day return confirmed

Telegraph now:-"Gary Lineker latest: No apology from presenter as Match of the Day return confirmed""Gary Lineker has issued a defiant statement without an apology over his tweets about the government's illegal immigration policy as it was confirmed he will return to Match of the Day.Mr Lineker said that the backing he received during the row was "overwhelming" but "however difficult the last few days had been it simply doesn’t compare to having to flee your home from persecution or war to seek refuge in a land far away".Director-General of the BBC, Tim Davie, acknowledged that it had been a "difficult period" caused by "grey areas" in the corporation's social media guidance.He added: “Impartiality is important to the BBC. It is also important to the public. The BBC has a commitment to impartiality in its Charter and a commitment to freedom of expression. "That is a difficult balancing act to get right where people are subject to different contracts and on air positions, and with different audience and social media profiles. The BBC’s social media guidance is designed to help manage these sometimes difficult challenges and I am aware there is a need to ensure that the guidance is up to this task. It should be clear, proportionate, and appropriate.""

David Ainsworth ● 12d38 Comments

https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/news/rwanda-suella-braverman-journalists-ed-davey-b2303776.html

Philippa Bond ● 5d

I would agree.Unfortunately, as far as I know, the trip was paid from taxpayer's money......

Ivonne Holliday ● 5d

Surely if the government is choosing which news organisations are invited, that makes it an overtly party political act and all costs should therefore be borne by the Conservative Party?

Sean Hodges ● 5d

Are you some sort of parrot?

Michael Winstanley ● 6d

"And just look at today's headlines!"Which ones where? (I really need not to look at every newspaper) (for the good of my health).

David Ainsworth ● 6d

And just look at today's headlines!

Philippa Bond ● 7d

"It just shows that Lineker is 'progressive' when he chooses to be and it suits his pocket."And you are privy to his motivation because ... ?

David Ainsworth ● 7d

What concerns me is the first sign of a totalitarian state is the shutting down of opposing comments and  views ... just consider Putin's actions with the Russian media and internet controls; and our government wants to stop end-to-end encryption ... little steps?

Michael Ixer ● 7d

I am always amazed how poor at politics (here I mean conveying  the right message and image regarding what one does) that some politicians are.She should have invited them all as they will in any case attack her about her Rwanda trip whether they went with her or not.I suspect she is doing all this because she is an Arsenal fan and they are sponsored by 'Visit Rwanda' to the tune of £30M !

John Hawkes ● 7d

'So you are claiming that that proves that Lineker actually cannot be impartial, as he is behaving like a typical Tory?'No Mr Ainsworth.It just shows that Lineker is 'progressive' when he chooses to be and it suits his pocket.Yes he is behaving like a Tory and you support him !Ergo, .....

John Hawkes ● 7d

Mr GeoffriesApparently Lineker also bought property in Barbados through an offshore company he owns as the taxation was far more favourable than were you or I ('we should be so lucky'!) to do the same.From the i newspaper -'Under Barbados law when a home bought by an individual or a local company is sold, the owner is liable for 1 per cent stamp duty and 2.5 per cent in transfer taxes.But sales can be tax-free if the property is owned by a company in the British Virgin Islands (BVI).As the Match of Day host bought his holiday home through his BVI-based company Goalhanger Inc, he was not obliged to pay the levy when the property was sold in 2010'.A true man of the people !

John Hawkes ● 7d

It is beyond reprehensible only taking "friendly" journalists.But what else can you expect from Cruella?  This is her down to a T.Vile woman!!!

Ivonne Holliday ● 7d

Sad to see how the rightwing media don't dare or care to support the others.GBNews but not the BBC?!"Index on Censorship, which works to defend freedom of expression, also criticised the exclusion of some news organisations. Its editor at large, Martin Bright, said: “We are concerned to hear that journalists from organisations judged to be critical of the government’s immigration policy have not been invited … Democracy depends on an open and transparent relationship between government and the media, where all journalists are able to scrutinise the government.“Index on Censorship believes that access to government ministers, both domestically and as part of international visits, should not be treated as a reward for favourable coverage.”"

David Ainsworth ● 7d

So the government is worried about biased reporting: easier if you only take those who will agree with your point if view?"The home secretary will be departing for Kigali on Friday evening, accompanied by media representatives from outlets including GB News, the Daily Mail and The Daily Telegraph.
The BBC, The Independent, The Guardian, Daily Mirror and i newspaper were not invited."(Borrowed from a discussion on Gina Miller's Twitter feed.)

Michael Ixer ● 7d

"It's always about the money and highly unlikely it's a wider crusade by Lineker."So you are claiming that that proves that Lineker actually cannot be impartial, as he is behaving like a typical Tory?

David Ainsworth ● 8d

In my view this is all to do with HMRC claiming 4.9m in unpaid tax.  He contents that he is not employed by the BBC (employee/IR35 tax distinction).  This is all no doubt little more than a calculated device to show he is not a normal employee over which the employer exercises the ordinary level of control.  It's always about the money and highly unlikely it's a wider crusade by Lineker.  It's about him keeping the 4.9m that HMRC argues should go into the public purse to help actually pay for these high ideals behind which he purports to stand.

John Geoffries ● 8d

Mr Winstanley'Patronising? This usually involves a pretence or veneer of kindness and you'll get none of that from me when it comes to the Mail.Having a large audience is no proof at all of quality. Just watch a Mrs Brown's Boys Christmas Special if you require proof.Unlike real newsapers, the Daily Mail is not even accepted as a source by Wikipedia which cites a  ‘reputation for poor fact checking and sensationalism" as its reason'.Wonderful !Keep digging.

John Hawkes ● 8d

Agree with him or not I think this is definitely a win for Lineker.  The BBC can't really argue with their statement on free speech that's cast in stone?https://www.thepoke.co.uk/2023/03/15/gary-lineker-profile-picture-final-word/

Michael Ixer ● 9d

Patronising? This usually involves a pretence or veneer of kindness and you'll get none of that from me when it comes to the Mail.Having a large audience is no proof at all of quality. Just watch a Mrs Brown's Boys Christmas Special if you require proof.Unlike real newsapers, the Daily Mail is not even accepted as a source by Wikipedia which cites a  ‘reputation for poor fact checking and sensationalism" as its reason.

Michael Winstanley ● 10d

Thank you for illustrating my point.

Michael Winstanley ● 10d

I wouldn't claim that this was a perceptive piece of polemic, and not even a particularly funny article by John Crace, but still better than the Mail one:-"Tom Hunt reckoned Gary was a tax avoider, while Alun Cairns reckoned he was a member of a privileged and overpaid elite. Er... a word in your shell-like. Being a tax avoider, privileged and overpaid are supposed to admit you to the Tory inner circle. What they really can’t forgive Gary for is having a conscience.Predictably, there were a couple of headbangers who reckoned there was only one solution to L’Affaire Lineker. Get rid of the licence fee. If the BBC couldn’t be trusted to support government policy unquestioningly then the game was up for it. Scott Benton, a man who wrestles with Hayes for sole possession of a brain cell, even reckoned Match of the Day had been much improved without its cast of commentators and pundits. At least we got to see the goals. It wasn’t clear what he thought normally happened on MOTD."https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/mar/14/impartialitys-the-bbc-goal-but-saying-my-tory-friends-dont-like-foreigners-is-off-side

David Ainsworth ● 11d

Mr Hawkes, I agree with your post above.  You can bet that many who don’t admit to reading MailOnline actually read it on the quiet. Michael Winstanley said “the typical post on this site is of such low quality” so I am surprised he bothers coming on the Forum.  

Martine Guy ● 11d

Mr Winstanley'The Daily Mail is gutter trash - opium for the masses cut with rat poison. It has no justifiable place in any intelligent enquiry into politics of current affairs'. Seems to sell a lot of copies though and I believe is one of the most accessed news website.So it must appeal to and reflect the views of a great number  of people.But of course to someone who appears as patronisingly superior as you do they are just 'the masses'.

John Hawkes ● 11d

My newspaper of choice is the FT with the Times 2nd. To give a  counterpoint to the Guardian - which I only dip into occasionally because it is free, I would turn to the Telegraph (though it is pretty awful) or the Spectator.The Daily Mail is gutter trash - opium for the masses cut with rat poison. It has no justifiable place in any intelligent enquiry into politics of current affairs.

Michael Winstanley ● 12d

Mr Winstanley'Oh I've been suckered into reading a Daily Mail article. I shall feel dirty for the rest of the week'.Strange comment from someone keen to promote their views and opinions on current affairs and demonstrate their erudition on such.'Perception? Bilge, bile and bolleaux more like'.What a strange way to conduct a political argument !Perhaps you and Mr Ainsworth ought to widen your reading horizons beyond the New Statesman, Huffington Post and certainly the Guardian - now just a propaganda sheet for those whose analysis of current affairs is based solely on identity politics, and a news medium that carries BTL comments in the sort of style and language similar to that used by you.O'Neill, a former editor of Living Marxism, at least provides views from a different perspective and which is always better if one seriously wants to try to get a proper understanding of social issues.Mind you he probably does not get to the hub of the matter as pithily as Gary Lineker nor yourself and is also likely not to have been such a prolific goal scorer !

John Hawkes ● 12d

I guess that in return we must accept BBC being offensive too.Conservatives rhetoric comparable to 1930s versus Corbyn's headgear used to make him look like a 1930s Russian (say Stalin) in Red Square, with glorious Soviet sunrays in background. Mind you, that was in a BBC prog, not a footyman's tweet.https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/newsnight-denies-altering-jeremy-corbyns-hat-to-make-him-look-more-russian_uk_5aad5659e4b0c33361b0e4e0Well, we already had to just grin and bear it.

David Ainsworth ● 12d

Oh I've been suckered into reading a Daily Mail article. I shall feel dirty for the rest of the week.Perception? Bilge, bile and bolleaux more like.

Michael Winstanley ● 12d

I note that Sky News persists in saying Lineker has received a private apology.https://news.sky.com/story/gary-lineker-to-return-to-hosting-sport-for-the-bbc-following-row-over-migration-tweets-12832734

Michael Ixer ● 12d

Well, apparently it is all OK for Lineker, thanks to Braverman (via Kelvin MacKenzie's tweet).Braverman says; "People are perfectly entitled to say things about politics, gender and religion that others find offensive. Disagreement is not incitement, and nor is irreverence or mockery."Phew! So Tories not backing the BBC then?

David Ainsworth ● 12d

Wouldn't the article be better if it was about the tantrum throwing newspaper that rages against cancel culture until it demands that people get cancelled?

Matt Palmer ● 12d

Strange, the Daily Mail is usually on the side of the very rich getting their own way. Lineker tweeted: "There is no huge influx. We take far fewer refugees than other major European countries. This is just an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s, and I’m out of order?"And that is a tantrum, according to a Daily Mail performative ranter, who proceeds to pretend his outrage in an over a thousands words tantrum with no need or desire to attempt impartiality but a near-perfect approximation to bollocks?!

David Ainsworth ● 12d

Assuming the board kept a hands off approach and didn't apply any pressure …

Michael Ixer ● 12d

According to Sky, Davie has also apologised privately to Lineker.Summarising his on-screen interview, what Davie said was "I am now making virtually a 180 degree U-turn, but I am sure I did the right thing".Waste of space. Should be sacked. The only thing stopping the BBC Chairman from throwing him under a bus now to avoid having to resign himself is that it wouldn't change the outcome of the ongoing investigation into Sharp's own appointment. It will be left to the new BBC Chairman to put Davie out to grass a bit further down the line.

Michael Winstanley ● 12d

Yes it is from the Mail, but a perceptive piece of polemic from Brendan O'Neillhttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-11851547/BRENDAN-ONEILL-celebrity-tantrum-better-BBC-lose-out.html

John Hawkes ● 12d

Why would Lineker apologise; it's the BBC's ambiguous policy and it's inconsistent application that caused the problem. I notice it's the BBC's DG who seems to be apologising to viewers of MOTD. A predictable outcome …

Michael Ixer ● 12d

Yes, David, thank you.The title of the article is, if I may say so, misleading and rather partisan? A few paragraphs down, the Telegraph states:"Director-General of the BBC, Tim Davie, acknowledged that it had been a "difficult period" caused by "grey areas" in the corporation's social media guidance." From the above, one can conclude that the problem is not with Gary Lineker's tweet but the "grey areas" in the corporation's social media guidance.Anyway, they all seem to be friends again.....

Ivonne Holliday ● 12d

"I am not too sure why Lineker should apologise."It's The Telegraph, that's all.

David Ainsworth ● 12d

I am not too sure why Lineker should apologise.From the BBC's rolling news at 10.04am today:The BBC Director General Tim Davie has announced there will be review, led by an independent expert reporting to the BBC, on its existing social media guidance, with a particular focus on how it applies to freelancers outside news and current affairs.The director general says the BBC and Gary are "in favour of such a review."The BBC’s current social media guidance will remain in place while the work is completed and who will carry the review out will be announced "shortly", Davie adds.

Ivonne Holliday ● 12d