Lineker dropped from Match of the Day

[Dorcus]

Well impartiality is built into the BBC. Look what happens when they briefly did a Corbyn montage several years ago on Newsnight - people lost their shit and still mention it years later. Well, that's why the BBC needs to be impartial.

Now, I don't think he should have been sacked, but that's clearly how the BBC have interpreted it.

Hopefully the perpetually offended will spend less time calling for everyone to be sacked all the time in future..now that would be good

This wasn't Newsnight though and Gary Lineker is not a news journalist. He's just a freelance sports presenter so should have been allowed the same freedoms as you or I in choosing to express his opinions.

All the BBC needed to do was declare that it didn't necessarily endorse Lineker's views. The corporation will lose masses of respect both over this and the David Attenborough issue.

[Dave Blue]

"....and now it's time to catch up on all of today's football action, presented tonight by a spokesperson from the Department of Culture, Media and Sport..."

We used to mock countries like that. Now it’s on our doorstep

[The Bloop]

HMRC are persuing him for £4.9m in unpaid tax due to claiming to be a contractor.

Can't see the BBC actions negating the "disguised employee" view.

I was going to include that in my post aswell. The BBCs contract is with Linekers company from which he get his money. HMRC are claiming he should be treated as an employee.

[Elwood Blues]

I think its fair enough Elwood as its Match of the Day but I can guess where this will go.🤣

Another thread went up about this while I was typing mine so I guess Mike will merge them anyway

[Doucas]

What Lineker said was foolish but he shouldn't be sacked. BBC has rules on it impartiality though and he's been warned and carried on. If your boss warns you on your behaviour and you carry on, there are often consequences, rightly or wrongly.

As for that guardian article, it could be complete and utter BS.

"The BBC strongly denied this was the case and insisted the episode in question was never intended for broadcast."

Aren't you just potentially spreading misinformation?

A football presenter tweeting about cruelty towards asylum seekers is not the same as a news programme portraying a politician who genuinely wanted to make things better as a communist.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Tell em to piss off Gary , speak your mind

Ian Wright has stepped away from Saturday nights show in support of Lineker

Maybe they could present The Football League Show ?

[logic]

I was going to include that in my post aswell. The BBCs contract is with Linekers company from which he get his money. HMRC are claiming he should be treated as an employee.

Given he's got a director in his ear, hard to argue against direction of control. Any substitution clause would be a joke too.

[IanD]

I was going to include that in my post aswell. The BBCs contract is with Linekers company from which he get his money. HMRC are claiming he should be treated as an employee.

The company being registered in one of Cayman/Panama/Jersey at a guess. Same arrangement with Fiona Bruce (for example) Never worked (directly) for the BBC.

[Doucas]

A football presenter tweeting about cruelty towards asylum seekers is not the same as a news programme portraying a politician who genuinely wanted to make things better as a communist.

Ignore this, meant to post it in the thread on the alternative forum.

[Doucas]

Well impartiality is built into the BBC. Look what happens when they briefly did a Corbyn montage several years ago on Newsnight - people lost their shit and still mention it years later. Well, that's why the BBC needs to be impartial.

Now, I don't think he should have been sacked, but that's clearly how the BBC have interpreted it.

Hopefully the perpetually offended will spend less time calling for everyone to be sacked all the time in future..now that would be good

A football presenter tweeting about cruelty towards asylum seekers is not the same as a news programme portraying a politician who genuinely wanted to make things better as a communist.

[ToTaL ITK]

he has his walker crisps millions to fall back on.

[ToTaL ITK]

Tell em to piss off Gary , speak your mind

Ian Wright has stepped away from Saturday nights show in support of Lineker

Maybe they could present The Football League Show ?

or a league of their own

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

The BBC I think does a pretty good job on the whole of being middle ground and impartial

I thought corbyn was an idiot but he got a battering

It's good that Lineker has spoken out and good that the Tories are on the back foot again

I am sure he won't mind being sacrificed at the altar and he can afford it

[The Bloop]

I was going to include that in my post aswell. The BBCs contract is with Linekers company from which he get his money. HMRC are claiming he should be treated as an employee.

The company being registered in one of Cayman/Panama/Jersey at a guess. Same arrangement with Fiona Bruce (for example) Never worked (directly) for the BBC.

It's a uk registered partnership he set up with his ex wife.
HMRC tried a similar claim against Lorraine Kelly. ITV contracted her company to present the Lorraine programme. Her argument was that when presenting the programme she wasn't Lorraine Kelly the person, but Lorraine Kelly the TV character. Despite LK the character being the Director of LK the company, presenting a programme called Lorraine, she won.

[Bluebirdman Of Alcathays]

Perhaps they'll find out that people just want to watch the highlights and not the tedious drivel in between.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

It's a uk registered partnership he set up with his ex wife.
HMRC tried a similar claim against Lorraine Kelly. ITV contracted her company to present the Lorraine programme. Her argument was that when presenting the programme she wasn't Lorraine Kelly the person, but Lorraine Kelly the TV character. Despite LK the character being the Director of LK the company, presenting a programme called Lorraine, she won.

This is purely to make more dollar ?

[Michael Morris]

Another thread went up about this while I was typing mine so I guess Mike will merge them anyway

Threads merged and it's a valid thread for the main board.

[Heathblue]

It's time for some fresh blood to spruce up the show, I think he's been a good presenter during his spell, it maybe only be temporary but IMO a makeover would be for the best.

[Undercoverinwurzelland]

Neither Wright or Shearer appearing tomorrow now.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Neither Wright or Shearer appearing tomorrow now.

Everyone out !

[Bluebirdman Of Alcathays]

Shearer [not] appearing tomorrow now.

I would fire Lineker just to make this happen permanently.

[Undercoverinwurzelland]

Who'll be the scabs who end up presenting it?

[Doucas]

Who'll be the scabs who end up presenting it?

Jim Davidson.

In all seriousness it'll likely be someone who wasn't a footballer before and they'll be told to do it or be sacked, and I don't think they should be criticised too much if they do.

[Baloo]

Who'll be the scabs who end up presenting it?

Nadine Dorries has a background in the sports sector.

[79blue]

What Lineker said was foolish but he shouldn't be sacked. BBC has rules on it impartiality though and he's been warned and carried on. If your boss warns you on your behaviour and you carry on, there are often consequences, rightly or wrongly.

As for that guardian article, it could be complete and utter BS.

"The BBC strongly denied this was the case and insisted the episode in question was never intended for broadcast."

Aren't you just potentially spreading misinformation?

What he tweeted was not foolish, it was factually correct. His tweet stated ‘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’. Can you point out what was incorrect about his statement? No accusation of being Nazi’s, no reason for Braverman to feel intimidated and no threatening words. unfortunately in this day and age, the government has issue with facts

Compare this tweet to the one Alan Sugar did prior to the previous election (bearing in mind that he is a contractor for the BBC, just like Lineker).

‘I seriously back @BorisJohnson to be the new PM. The public like him and he will have a good chance of winning the election in 2021 if not before. Any one who can stop @jeremycorbyn from becoming PM has my backing.’

This tweet did not result in any sanction or threat from the BBC with regard to impartiality rules!

No, I’m not spreading misinformation, I just linked the article that reported it.