Gary Lineker will be excluded from new BBC edicts requiring its staff to reign in their political opinions on social media, it’s been claimed.
It comes as new BBC head Tim Davie said he’s leading a fresh approach at the BBC for the corporation to become more impartial.
He said this would mean BBC staff would face new rules requiring them to watch what they say on social media platforms such as Twitter.
Gary Lineker, who’s blunt about his own personal beliefs, has previously dismissed being concerned about the push for impartiality and a BBC spokesperson said the retired sports star and Match of the Day presenter will not be expected to adhere to the new rules at all.
The spokesperson told a media outlet that Gary Lineker was not involved in any news or political output for the BBC and as such, any expression of his personal political views did not affect the BBC’s impartiality.
Sources said other staff who are not involved in the BBC’s news and current affairs output will likewise be exempt from the social media rules, although it’s not currently clear what Mr Davies’ new rules will be.
Mr Davie said that if you want to be an outspoken columnist or a partisan campaigner on social media then it’s a valid choice, but you should not be working at the BBC.
He further said that they’ll take action in the coming weeks, but to be clear, there will be new guidance on how they best deliver their impartiality guideline, new social media rules, which will be rigorously implemented, and more precise direction on the declaration of external interests and that their research shows that too many perceive them to be shaped by a particular perspective.
He said that they essentially need to champion and recommit to impartiality and that it was deliverable and that it was essential and he said that if you work at the BBC, nothing should be more exciting than exploring different views, seeking evidence with curiosity and creatively presenting testimony.
“To be clear, this is not about abandoning democratic values such as championing fair debate or an abhorrence of racism.
“But it is about being free from political bias, guided by the pursuit of truth, not a particular agenda.”
Gary Lineker has previously been critical of Brexit on his Twitter account, calling for a ‘People’s Vote’, a second referendum, on at least one occasion and the TV presenter said in one Tweet that it was pretty clear now that there is no good deal. That there was this rotten deal or an even more painful no deal.
However, the play is on the British public. The BBC is creating the illusion of change when they have no intention of doing so and if Gary Lineker had expressed right-wing or anti-migrant views he would have been off the air years ago. It’s only because he’s left-wing that he’s allowed to continue, that, in itself, is indicative of bias.
So much for a new start, same meat different gravy and this man is just another wannabe celebrity, his presenting is terrible and his wages obscene and our licence fee should not be used to pay this man and at the end of this Gary Lineker is of little importance and more of a nuisance, like a fly in the room, although a pretty expensive one.
