Lineker: BBC impartiality is “almost unresolvable”

It’s the second time, he’s been spoken to by the BBC, with a Tweet in 2022 about the then Foreign Secretary, Liz Truss ruled to have broken the corporation’s impartiality rules.

“I am a little bit the kind of person that if I am told to not do something it will drive me to do it even further – I will continue to speak out,” Lineker told Channel 4 News.

“I had an agreement with the BBC that I would continue to talk about refugee cause and climate change, two things that are very important to me, that I’ve been involved in campaigning and such for a number of years. So I will continue to do that. Obviously sometimes people will say that crosses a political line a little bit but almost everything does in life, and that includes football as well. People say stick to football, stay out of politics. They’re kind of entwined.So yeah, I’ll carry on.”

The BBC has since appointed ITN’s former Editor-in-Chief, John Hardie to review how its social media guidance applies to freelancers – like Lineker.

However, Lineker said he didn’t believe that his suspension, and then return had weakened the position of the BBC Director General.

“I don’t think so – he responded to the way events came through and in the end he kind of turned things around, listened and I think overall I don’t see him in a weaker position. It’s an incredibly difficult job. Impartiality is really tricky at the BBC and I think it’s an issue that is almost unresolvable.” 

When pushed on whether one of the highest paid BBC presenters should express political opinions, he explained:

“People are entitled to their opinion but I don’t see how much someone’s salary is relevant in any way, shape or form as to whether you have an opinion. I absolutely value their right to freedom of speech but most of the people that champion freedom of speech only do so until they disagree with you, and then they don’t campaign for it. But people will have their views. I’m a freelance sports person – I don’t see how that is an issue at all with having views about the refugee crisis.” 

On the BBC’s social media guidelines, he said:

“[…] they’re only guidelines and also there is nothing in my contract whatsoever in having an opinion on a different variety of things and I think it’s actually really important that people with a platform do use it for the power of good. I feel like I’m careful anyway. Nobody knows who I vote for – I have never told anyone who to vote for in terms of a General Elections. No one really knows my politics. In fact, I’m your archetypal floating voter.”

He was also asked whether he would join forces with another politically-passionate ex-footballer, Gary Neville to push for “actual reform and change.”

“Well in all honesty no I haven’t thought about that.  But obviously I know Gary has strong views on politics and I respect him for having the courage to express his views because it’s actually not always that easy. But no, I haven’t thought about a coalition.  Maybe he can be Prime Minister, I’ll be the Chancellor.”

Prime Minister @GNev2 and Chancellor Gary Lineker?@_JordanJBryan asks England football legend and BBC presenter, @garylineker about the prospect of building a political coalition with others from the world of sport. pic.twitter.com/0xCHIyXXPZ

— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) May 24, 2023