By Grabthar’s Hammer

[outwoodclaret]

In September 1939 when Hitler had just invaded Poland, Arthur Greenwood (in the absence of Clement Attlee) got to his feet in the House of Commons and announced “I am speaking for Labour”. He was immediately rebuked from across the floor with a cry of “Speak for England, Arthur!”. If Gary Lineker is so convinced he is speaking for England he can of course step away from his lucrative “freelance” work at the BBC and stand for election to Parliament.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

In September 1939 when Hitler had just invaded Poland, Arthur Greenwood (in the absence of Clement Attlee) got to his feet in the House of Commons and announced “I am speaking for Labour”. He was immediately rebuked from across the floor with a cry of “Speak for England, Arthur!”. If Gary Lineker is so convinced he is speaking for England he can of course step away from his lucrative “freelance” work at the BBC and stand for election to Parliament.

I'm a big believer in the Freedom of Speech Act Sir Outwood, you know the one: "Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers. This Article shall not prevent States from requiring the licensing of broadcasting, television or cinema enterprises."

So if I read you right, it's only lunatics like Lee Anderson who have the right to present an opinion?

[outwoodclaret]

I'm a big believer in the Freedom of Speech Act Sir Outwood, you know the one: "Everyone has the right to freedom of expression. This right shall include freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart information and ideas without interference by public authority and regardless of frontiers. This Article shall not prevent States from requiring the licensing of broadcasting, television or cinema enterprises."

So if I read you right, it's only lunatics like Lee Anderson who have the right to present an opinion?

Nope. You don’t. Read me right that is.

[The Bedlington Terrier]

Nope. You don’t. Read me right that is.

I thought the implication was only an elected MP should have an opinion.

[Vintage Claret]

Gary Lineker used social media to express a view on something he believes the government have got wrong.

The BBC as his employer have decided to suspend him for voicing that view. Since he is employed by the BBC has a sports presenter it is my opinion that the BBC does not have any right to suspend him, if he was a political reporter or political presenter then the matter would be somewhat different. It appears now that several of Lineker's colleagues on Match of the Day are no refusing to take part in the program in support of what they think is an unfair interference by the BBC.

There appears to be some double standards being operated by the BBC since some of their political reporters / presenters are far from being impartial.

I know that if any of the companies I worked for had told me what I could or could not say on my own social media, then they would have had my resignation with immediate effect.

[sinkov]

Lineker is a man of principal, he's not backing down and says he doesn't care if the BBC suspend him. Seeing as he's a millionaire I am sure he doesn't.

[sinkov]

"The BBC as his employer have decided to suspend him for voicing that view. Since he is employed by the BBC has a sports presenter it is my opinion that the BBC does not have any right to suspend him, if he was a political reporter or political presenter then the matter would be somewhat different. It appears now that several of Lineker's colleagues on Match of the Day are no refusing to take part in the program in support of what they think is an unfair interference by the BBC."

That's not the case, he's been stood down for breaching the BBC guidelines. If he didn't like the guidelines, or didn't want to adhere to them, he shouldn't have signed up to them, but then, the attraction of easy money, even to virtue-signalling Lefties like Lineker is too good to turn down.
It gets even better, his woke mates are refusing to stand in for him, they're having a collective sulk, and MOTD will go ahead without any pundits at all. Hopefully the to$$ers are shooting themselves in the foot and this will become a permanent feature. It would save us licence fee payers an awful lot of money as well.

[Vintage Claret]

"The BBC as his employer have decided to suspend him for voicing that view. Since he is employed by the BBC has a sports presenter it is my opinion that the BBC does not have any right to suspend him, if he was a political reporter or political presenter then the matter would be somewhat different. It appears now that several of Lineker's colleagues on Match of the Day are no refusing to take part in the program in support of what they think is an unfair interference by the BBC."

That's not the case, he's been stood down for breaching the BBC guidelines. If he didn't like the guidelines, or didn't want to adhere to them, he shouldn't have signed up to them, but then, the attraction of easy money, even to virtue-signalling Lefties like Lineker is too good to turn down.
It gets even better, his woke mates are refusing to stand in for him, they're having a collective sulk, and MOTD will go ahead without any pundits at all. Hopefully the to$$ers are shooting themselves in the foot and this will become a permanent feature. It would save us licence fee payers an awful lot of money as well.

It would appear Sinkov that the BBC guide lines only appear to be upheld when it suits the current UK government. If they were being totally impartial presenters such as Laura Kuenssberg would have been replaced, but she is a member of the conservative party and was a prospective parliamentary candidate, so how can she be seen to be impartial when interviewing member of any of the other political parties.

[sinkov]

It would appear Sinkov that the BBC guide lines only appear to be upheld when it suits the current UK government. If they were being totally impartial presenters such as Laura Kuenssberg would have been replaced, but she is a member of the conservative party and was a prospective parliamentary candidate, so how can she be seen to be impartial when interviewing member of any of the other political parties.

The guidelines are being upheld in Lineker's case because he broke them. For some reason he appears to think they don't apply to him, he must think he's bigger than the BBC, maybe he thinks he runs the BBC and can do as he pleases ?

Interesting information about Laura Kuenssberg, who incidentally has been sanctioned by the BBC for breaking their guidelines, something to do with a story about Corbyn I think, and her being a member of the Conservative Party. It's news to me, so could you tell me which branch of the Tory Party she is a member of, and for which constituency she was a prospective parliamentary candidate ?

[Vintage Claret]

The guidelines are being upheld in Lineker's case because he broke them. For some reason he appears to think they don't apply to him, he must think he's bigger than the BBC, maybe he thinks he runs the BBC and can do as he pleases ?

Interesting information about Laura Kuenssberg, who incidentally has been sanctioned by the BBC for breaking their guidelines, something to do with a story about Corbyn I think, and her being a member of the Conservative Party. It's news to me, so could you tell me which branch of the Tory Party she is a member of, and for which constituency she was a prospective parliamentary candidate ?

If everyone who works for the BBC has to be impartial on the political front, then Kuenssberg appearance as a speaker at the conservative conference, she should be excluded from any political debate.

But my point initially was that anyone should have the right to state their private views on their own social media account without any interference from their employer that is their human right.

As for referencing Keunssberg's conservative party status, I do not have the will nor inclination to research her history. She is just one of the BBC's journalists who appear to favour the tory party.