BBC backtracks on tweet criticizing UK asylum plan

The aftermath of a weekend of chaos and crisis for Britain’s publicly funded national broadcaster has led to a huge backlash after one of its most famous hosts was sidelined because he expressed a political opinion.

BBC Director General Tim Davey said, “Gary is an important part of the BBC and I know how much the BBC means to Gary, and I look forward to presenting our coverage this coming weekend.”

Lineker, 62, said he was “glad we found a way forward.”

The uproar was sparked by a plan announced last week by Britain’s Conservative government to try to prevent thousands of migrants from reaching the country in small boats across the English Channel. A new bill would bar asylum claims by anyone arriving in the UK through unauthorized means and force the government to detain and deport them to “their home country or a safe third country”.

The law has been condemned by refugee groups and the United Nations, and the government believes it may violate international law.

Lineker, one of England’s most admired players and the corporation’s highest-paid television presenter, was suspended after describing the plan on Twitter as “extremely cruel” and calling the government’s language “30s”. Not dissimilar to the language used by Germany in the decade”.

The Daily Telegraph and The Daily Mail—two right-wing newspapers long critical of the BBC—expressed outrage at what the headlines described as Lineker’s “Nazi” remarks, although he did not use the word.

The Conservative government called the Lineker comparison offensive and unacceptable, and some MPs said the BBC should sack him.

The broadcaster announced on Friday that Lineker would “step down” until he agreed to keep his tweets under BBC fairness rules.

Critics accused the BBC of suppressing free speech, and it was forced to cancel its weekend sports programming after commentators, analysts and Premier League players refused to appear on the air as a show of support for Lineker.

The flagship “Match of the Day” program was reduced from the usual 90 minutes of highlights and analysis to a 20-minute compilation of clips from the day’s play, without commentary or punditry. Other TV and radio soccer shows were pulled from the schedule for Saturday and Sunday as the boycott spread.

Davey insisted on Monday that the BBC “did the right thing” by suspending Lineker, but said there would now be an independent review of its social media rules to address “grey areas” in the guidelines.

“Between now and when the review reports, Gary will follow editorial guidelines,” he said.

Davey said that the BBC “has a commitment to impartiality in its charter,” as well as a commitment to freedom of expression.

“It’s a tough balancing act to get right,” he said.

The uproar reflects the specific nature of the UK media, where newspapers are highly opinionated and news broadcasters need to be balanced – particularly the taxpayer-funded BBC, which has a duty to be fair.

The crisis dramatically illustrated the pressures long faced by the 100-year-old BBC in an increasingly polarized political and media world. Those on the right often perceive a leftist slant in the broadcaster’s news output, while some liberals accuse it of having a conservative bias.

Opposition politicians have accused the government of meddling by promoting a Conservative-friendly boss to the BBC. Davey is a former Conservative local government candidate. BBC chairman Richard Sharpe is a Conservative Party donor who helped arrange a loan for then-prime minister Boris Johnson in 2021, weeks before Sharpe was appointed to the BBC post on the government’s recommendation.

The Conservatives also suggest changing the BBC’s funding model from time to time. Most of its money is derived from the license fee paid by all households with televisions.

Lucy Powell, spokeswoman for the culture and media of the opposition Labor Party, said the Conservatives “have wanted to undermine the BBC for a long time.”

“Along with a review of the BBC’s social media guidelines, this saga should prompt the government to examine how it protects and promotes a truly independent and fair BBC,” she said.

As part of its commitment to neutrality, the BBC prohibits news staff from expressing political opinions.

Lineker, as a freelancer who does not work in news or current affairs, is not bound by the same rules, and has occasionally crossed the boundaries of BBC acceptability. Last year, the BBC found Lineker had breached its rules by tweeting about alleged donations from Russians to conservatives.

James Harding, the BBC’s former director of news, said the corporation had fallen into “a mess” on the issue of fairness.

He said it was important that the broadcaster “which provides the news and information that informs the country” is impartial, but added: “You cannot move to a world in which the BBC is every writer, director, musician, Sports Personality, Scientist, Business Entrepreneur.”

Lineker said it had been an “unreal few days” and thanked colleagues for their support. And he shows no sign of stopping his use of social media.

“One final thought: no matter how difficult the past few days have been, it cannot compare to seeking refuge in a country away from persecution or war at home,” she tweeted to her 8.8 million followers. Many of you have noticed sympathy for their plight.”