Who Is Gary Lineker?
Gary Lineker is an ex footballer with a glittering career. His career started in 1978, and through the 1980’s and early 1990’s, he played for top-tier clubs in England as well as spending several years playing for Barcelona. He’s played for England, becoming the first English player to receive the Golden Boot in the 1986 Wold Cup. He scored 48 goals in eighty appearances for his national side. Simply put, Lineker was an exceptional footballer and was often viewed as one of the fairest players on the pitch.
After he retired from the beautiful game, Lineker became a pundit; offering his opinions on matches, interviewing players and managers and hosting football based shows. Towards the end of the 1990’s, he began presenting the BBC’s flagship football show, Match of the Day. His opinion on the sport was respected, not just because of his glittering career and accolades – but because of his reputation of being fair. As his media career progressed, he even began to appear on quiz shows, namely as the guest host of Have I Got News For You.; the satirical current affairs show which pokes fun at the main headlines of the week. The show has had a myriad of political guests – from former Prime Minister, Boris Johnson and Labour politicians to political analysts and journalists – either on the teams or as the presenter of the show. Comedians and sports personalities are also often guests on the show, providing their own unique thoughts and insights into the hot topics of the week.
Have I Got News For You
Now, Have I Got News For You is often criticised for the way it makes fun of our politicians, especially the Conservative Party. However, no one is particularly safe from the shows mocking. Ex Labour leader, Jeremy Corbin was criticised on a regular basis from his neutral stance on Brexit and from his apparent apathy of the Anti-Semitism allegations. Similarly, Kier Starmer, the current Labour leader, is mocked for his apparent lack of personality. However, it only seems that it’s when the guests and team captains (Iain Hislop and Paul Merton) are scathing of the Conservatives that complaints are made. They’ll joke that they’re being balanced by poking fun at other political parties and offering fake platitudes towards the Tories. It’s a recurring theme within the show, and is one that’s appreciated by both the live studio audience and the audience watching at home.
This is important, because the BBC allows its freelancers to have divisive opinions on the political headlines of the week in current affair shows, but not, apparently on their own social media platforms. No host or guest of HIGNFY has been suspended by the corporation for airing their ire at the politicians while on the show; in fact, the show is famous for its open mocking of the powers that be. But, it would seem that sharing a tweet that expresses ones own opinion on a new policy is crossing the line.
It would seem that the BBC, however, is beginning to regret its reputation as a creator of top-notch satirical current affairs shows. Only a few years ago, it axed The Mash Report, a show which often highlighted policies which toed a dangerous line. Remember Rachel Parris’ and her scathing monologue of women’s rights? More recently, the corporation axed Mock the Week, the long running comedy quiz show which quite literally mocked the headlines of the week as well as its Irish host, Dara O’Brien. No more will comedians be dredging up ‘lines we’d like to see’; and honestly, it feels like a monumental loss not only to comedy in general, but in quality satirical programming.
The Tweets
During the week, the Home Office proposed a new policy which would mean that those seeking asylum in the UK by crossing the channel in ‘small boats’ would be prosecuted and not allowed back in the UK. At the time, the Home Secretary. even said that the policy was ‘pushing the boundaries of legality’ – suggesting herself that there are major issues within the policy itself. Gary Lineker, while promoting his right to freedom of opinion tweeted ‘this is beyond awful’ with a link to a video of the new policy being proposed.
Good heavens, this is beyond awful. https://t.co/f0fTgWXBwp
— Gary Lineker šš (@GaryLineker) March 7, 2023
Lineker followed that up with
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 Iām out of order?
— Gary Lineker šš (@GaryLineker) March 7, 2023
After complaints had been made to the BBC’s Director General after the original tweet. This of course, then escalated. The politicians were in uproar; complaining directly to the BBC and lobbying that Lineker be sacked. He was called into a meeting with the Director General, Tim Davie – who, conversationally, once stood as a Conservative Councillor in Hammersmith in the early 1990’s. Lineker was chastised for divulging his opinion as a leading ‘star’ of the BBC – a corporation which is supposedly impartial to the political landscape of the country. But, it begs the question doesn’t it? How can the BBC be impartial to the political landscape if it’s own Director General – the big boss – has been a Conservative politician in the past? It isn’t. And if Lineker had posted his negative opinion about Kier Starmer or a proposed policy from the Labour Party, would he have been disciplined? Or if he had agreed with Suella Beaverman, would he have been disciplined? Of course he wouldn’t. The tweet would most likely have been lost in the mire of tweets and no headlines would have been made.
So, Why Has The BBC Set A Dangerous Precedent?
So, why is Lineker’s suspension by the BBC a dangerous precedent? Well, because it has completely and utterly disregarded their freelancers’ right to free speech. I know, I know, there’s not really such a thing as ‘Free Speech’. But Lineker certainly has the right to exercise his Freedom of Opinion – and not one part of his opinion on this policy could be described as harmful to any marginalised people or inciting hatred. Indeed, if anything, his tweet was defending marginalised people seeking refuge in a country that’s deemed wealthy and powerful. It’s not even that much of an opinion; as Beaverman herself has said, the policy is pushing the boundaries of legality. The video and the wording is similar to the language used in 1930’s Germany when Hitler pushed an irrational hatred towards a minority instead of tackling the real issues within (in this case, the gangs which extort the asylum seekers and smuggle them into the small boats). Why should he be punished for this? Simple answer, he shouldn’t.
Remember that Lineker has always been known for his fairness. Also, don’t forget that his career has seen him working with people who are immigrants – indeed, he himself has been a guest in another country during his stint at Barcelona. His professionalism and respect should not be discounted because he has shown he has compassion for others.
By suspending Lineker, Tim Davie has basically bowed to government pressure; effectively banishing the impartiality that the BBC is renewed for. Davie has, essentially, in one fell swoop, subscribed the Corporation to being the voice box of the government. It is now nothing more than a propaganda arm, parroting the party-line. Freelancers in the future will be terrified of voicing their negative thoughts of the government with the threat of suspension hanging over their heads.
Solidarity
The one good thing that’s come out of this whole mess is that many of Lineker’s colleagues have stood shoulder to shoulder with him. As of lunch time today, other ex-footballers turned pundits, have refused to host Match of the Day in Lineker’s stead. So far, Alan Shearer, Ian Wright, Mikah Richards, and Jermaine Jenas among others have defended him and refused to host the show. Alex Scott, former Lioness and presenter of Football FocusI has also offered her support. Indeed, football fans will be nothing short of disappointed today (March 11th, 2023) as neither Football Focus nor Final Score – both mainstays of Saturday afternoon BBC 1 viewing, will air at all. The solidarity shown by these professional journalists, pundits and ex-footballer freelancers is beyond anything Tim Davie expected, forcing the Director General to alter the programming at the very last minute. In effect, these well known faces are striking, taking a stand against government control of our most respected broadcaster. I can only hope they’ll listen. For my part, I stand with Lineker. I stand with the right to express freedom of opinion without fear of backlash or of losing my job.
Sall.