How did Gary Lineker and the BBC’s impartiality crisis unfold?– BBC News

Gary Lineker will return to present Match of the Day after he was taken off air amid an impartiality row following his criticism of the government's new asylum policy. 

BBC director general Tim Davie said an independent review of BBC social media guidelines would be carried out - and denied the BBC had backed down. 

The BBC’s analysis editor Ros Atkins examines what the BBC has called ‘grey areas’ in its impartiality guidance after the corporation struck a deal with Lineker over his controversial tweets. 

#GaryLineker #BBC #BBCNews

[filipepedro]

The BBC reporting about the BBC...big LOL

[dilatedbeholder]

A shame they didn't take a stand on human rights abuses when the World Cup was being hosted in Qatar

[RonaldShea]

Personally I refuse to contribute towards the lifestyles of the pigs in the bbc trough.

[monsieurhercule]

The blunt, openly Tory BBC didn't mind when Lineker tweeted "Bin Corbyn" but served as the mouthpiece of Tory indignation when he called out what sounded a lot like the xenophobic rhetoric during the rise of fascism a decade before the Holocaust. We didn't hear much when Boris Johnson really trivialised the Holocaust, flippantly comparing the EU to Hitler and the Nazis - "Nazi punishment beatings" he said, a direct comparison of EU representatives to concentration camp guards.

[DenisCalligraphy]

It's absolutely obvious from BBC coverage that the war in Ukraine is not impartially covered, and rightly so. It clearly presents an aggressor and a defender rather than an impartial view (again, rightly so, in line with Western coverage). Therefore, the argument over a sports presenter having an opinion is ridiculous!

[RonaldShea]

The sickening greed of the bbc and it's employees is truly nauseating.

[MoanTheCelts]

Independent expert? Appointed by either davie, sharp, the government or another shady appointee that’s ‘independent’. Probably all of them. I’m was for the fee and what the bbc did. Wasn’t the government since 2010 that started this. It’s been going on for a while just this lot have crossed then line

[drakenkraken]

Abolish the BBC license fee. Another wasteful dinosaur of the past, like the Royal family.

[ross]

Dreadful sack him and give us a program line up worth watching .Stop paying Gary his huge wage

[mre]

Each BBC employee should wear a badge with the number of tv licenses they are paid yearly. Lineker is paid 86, 000 licenses each year

[louloutri]

I love Ros' style. His way of explaining is excellent. A top journalist. Well done 👍

[Salgood]

I'm not British but this all sounds pretty obnoxious. The issue Lineker commented on is a party issue? That's interesting, so are the Tories then standing for the inhuman treatment of human beings as a party position? And it's 'impartial' to punish someone for underlining how the policy is in fact, inhumane?

[cathykinn]

The BBC did not have the right to pay lineker, or any employee, £1.35M from income that is given Under Duress by the British People. We are Never asked. We are Individual Shareholders of the BBC but we Never get to Vote on Anything. They also used to care about Quality. Now they just want celebs.

[republic_]

Saying the bbc is impartial and everyone can voice their opinions while simultaneously cracking down on Lineker for his opinions-good one

[antonysteel]

The BBC isn’t impartial - that is the point

The solution is scrap the licence fee or at the very least decriminalise those who do not trust the BBC and don’t wish to have access to it’s services.

In an ideal world it should be sold or funded by subscription and advertising. If you are aligned to the BBC’s bias you can continue to watch it. If you are not, you shouldn’t be forced to purchase a service you do not want.

[utubebroadcaster]

I think all governments should do this to push through an agenda or their own policy by gaslighting much loved British people

[CricketEngland]

I personally don’t understand why the BBC or any non sports channel needs to have a prime time football highlights show anyway,

We don’t get a weekly cricket show during the cricket season, or a weekly rugby show or an weekly mixed sports program like we used to back in the 80”s

[Dani-El.]

Why do all BBC news presenters look like high-ranking military personnel?
Pip pip, old bean.

[flemlion]

This whole saga just exposes how partial the BBC is. Going after Gary Linker is as hypocritical as it gets.

[mlsarchitect]

Is it ever ok to "stop people from saying what they believe"?