Twitter Is Asking: Why We Are Talking About Gary Lineker Instead Of The Actual Migrant Bill?
Gary Lineker has been pushed to the forefront of the row around the government’s new controversial Illegal Migration Bill, just because of a single tweet.
The Match of the Day host is a BBC figurehead, and as of last year was the corporation’s highest-paid presenter – so when he shared an outspoken tweet about government policy, it instantly drew criticism for not following BBC impartiality rules.
Responding to home secretary Suella Braverman’s video about how the government will be cracking down on refugees, Lineker replied: “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?”
Braverman has been accused of using inflammatory language around refugees and migrants by critics ever since she said there was an “invasion” of people arriving on UK shores via small boats.
This week, she also claimed there were 100 million refugees around the world who are “coming here” as refugees.
Amid the backlash to Lineker’s tweet, the BBC promised to have a “frank conversation” about impartiality with the host – although Lineker said on Thursday morning that he did not fear getting suspended and stood by his comment.
He also tweeted: “I’ll continue to try and speak up for those pool souls that have no choice.”
There was also a wave of support for the former footballer on Twitter for calling out the government over its controversial approach.
Gary Lineker standing by his words because he has principles; Suella Braverman blaming her words on someone else because she doesn't. https://t.co/VeuSuNYRld
— James O'Brien (@mrjamesob) March 8, 2023
I applaud @GaryLineker for his compassion and support for vulnerable people, particularly refugees.
— Alf Dubs (@AlfDubs) March 8, 2023
Thank you, Gary. pic.twitter.com/GVLZ813DKx
But, when the fallout over the tweet rather the actual migrant policies hit the top headlines for the day, people were understandably bewildered.
The government has even admitted that it might be breaking international law with its own proposed migrant policy this week by putting the home secretary’s duty to remove asylum seekers above their human right to apply for asylum in the UK.
Lineker does not come up with government policy after all, and works in football commentary rather than politics.
He was notably not criticised by his employers when he spoke out about Qatar’s questionable human rights record live on air during the World Cup in November, and has often tweeted about politics from his personal Twitter account.
I never imagined that I would have to say that I stand with @GaryLineker
— nazir afzal (@nazirafzal) March 9, 2023
Everything he said was absolutely right
Bewildered media focus has been on his tweet and not on the internationally illegal asylum policy & the Govt’s hateful language
Words have real world consequences
Just what the government will have wanted. Scrutiny of the bill itself deflected into another Gary Lineker row. Whose "impartial" decision was it to lead News at Ten with a tweet?
— Paul Hayward (@_PaulHayward) March 8, 2023
BBC falling for the dead cat on the table not the real issue of the government admitting it may well be breaking the law with its new legislation
— Mark Stephens (@MarksLarks) March 9, 2023
It was on the front of the mail and the telegraph this morning because they are anti-BBC campaigning newspapers and they use Gary Lineker as a front in their stupid war. That’s well known. Why the BBC do their bidding for them, I have no idea.
— Tom Peck (@tompeck) March 8, 2023
The idea that the likes of @GaryLineker should just sit by and be silenced while bad people enact terrible things is the very way that far worse things begin.
— Otto English (@Otto_English) March 8, 2023
On Gary Lineker. We either believe in cancel-culture, or we don't. I don't. If he made the comments on-air, that's one thing. But he didn't. He isn't a political journalist. And he's entitled to his views, even if people may not agree with him.
— (((Dan Hodges))) (@DPJHodges) March 9, 2023
Curious that @GaryLineker was free to raise questions about Qatar’s human rights record - with the blessing of the bbc - over the World Cup , but cannot raise questions of human rights in this country if it involves criticism of government policy … https://t.co/wkm60i4hp6
— emily m (@maitlis) March 8, 2023
And the topic of impartiality inevitably meant the ongoing furore around the BBC chair Richard Sharp came up.
Sharp is a Tory donor and former boss of the current PM, Sunak.
It was revealed back in January that Sharp helped find a guarantor for then-PM Boris Johnson when he was looking to take out a £800,000 loan – and shortly afterwards was appointed to the top job at the BBC.
It was Home Secretary Suella Braverman NOT Gary Lineker who first invoked parallels with 1930s Germany with the phrase “invading our shores”. On impartiality, a fair question would be: Who’s doing most perceived damage to the BBC’s reputation the BBC Top Brass or its Presenters? https://t.co/b4nJ429ouD
— Sangita Myska (@SangitaMyska) March 9, 2023
BREAKING: The BBC chairman who donates large sums of money to the Tory Party is concerned Gary Lineker might not be impartial x
— Laura Kuenssberg beyond parody (@LKTranslator) March 9, 2023
If only Gary Lineker had facilitated an £800,000 loan to Boris Johnson he could say whatever he wanted. That’s how impartiality works, right?
— Prof Paul Bernal (@PaulbernalUK) March 8, 2023
Labour’s Cliff Efford also asked in the Commons this week: “Which is greater evidence of political bias – Gary Lineker criticising the government language from his private Twitter account or the chairman of the BBC giving donations to the Tory Party?”
Clive Efford - Which is the greater evidence of political bias. Gary Lineker criticising the government's language from his private Twitter account or the chairman of the BBC giving donations to the Tory Party? pic.twitter.com/z3QXA9NHzU
— Haggis_UK ???????? ???????? (@Haggis_UK) March 9, 2023