BBC comments on BBC presenter’s non-BBC opinions that harm the BBC

If only Gary Lineker had a different opinion – or some sense – to back Suella Braverman’s utterly unworkable, probably illegal, utterly deplorable immigration plan.

Instead, the BBC has had to write an article on itself following Gary Lineker’s tweets about the new Conservative immigration legislation, saying they “present a problem for the BBC”.

The director general of the BBC, Tim Davie, said, “If you want to be an opinionated columnist or a partisan campaigner on social media then that is a valid choice, but you should not be working at the BBC.” Of course, no opinions allowed at the impartial  BBC folks, because there is only one opinion…

Davie has however been found to have donated over £400,000 to the Conservative Party since 2001 – which isn’t an opinion, and is totally nonpartisan., and definitely doesn’t impact or influence the BBC’s response to Lineker at all.

Ultimately, Lineker comparing the UK’s refugee policies to 1930s Germany poses a problem because why can’t he just be a good right-wing bigot?

If only he would have tweeted something else, like, “Illegal is illegal”, and “Stop the boats”, then the BBC wouldn’t be in this mess and could get on with bigger things like running headlines about why Braverman’s plan is not racist, and is definitely a good idea we should all get behind.

Now, the BBC has to work out what to do with a public figure who has access to a platform where he can reach millions of people from around the world. His opinions are damaging to the BBC and to the Tories, and it simply cannot stand.