Scottish shadow secretary Andrew Bowie was on the Today Programme this morning to slam Starmer’s EU ‘reset’ deal today that forces the UK to become an EU rule-taker with dynamic realignment on food standards, along with a “massive sell out” on fishing rights as Guido reported this morning. A 12-year fishing rights handover has been confirmed. A major Brexit betrayal…
Bowie was on with BBC’s Nick Robinson to slam the ‘surrender’ deal. An outraged Robinson hammered Bowie and the Tories for using the word ‘surrender’, berating him several times for using the ‘language of war time’. He said:
“The Conservatives using the language of surrender. Isn’t Britain an ally of France Germany Italy and Poland? Why on earth do you use the language of surrender then, the language of war time? That’s appropriate to call it a surrender to your allies?”
Bowie went on to explain that “it would be a surrender if we are simply agreeing to what the European Union demands and not getting the best deal for Britain”. BBC showing its true colours again on the Brexit debate…
Gary Lineker’s accelerated departure from the BBC was all but confirmed on Radio 4 this morning as presenters discussed what went wrong between the corporation and its highest-paid star ahead of his premature exit. “Mistakes” was their answer…
Lineker will present his final Match of the Day next weekend and won’t present the 2026 World Cup coverage. Guido has been keeping track of Lineker’s “mistakes” over the past few years:
- Breached guidelines for a tweet attacking the Tories and their “Russian donors.“
- Said the language in the Rwanda Plan was “not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s.” Then launched numerous attacks on Braverman…
- Managed to get Match of the Day viewership up 23% by not attending. He was taken off air…
- Forced the BBC to weaken its impartiality guidelines.
- Dominated an entire PMQs with his tweeting.
- Attracted the ire of the BBC’s new chairman for breaking BBC social media impartiality guidelines in his attacks on Jonathan Gullis.
- Was celebrated by a Hamas-run news agency after retweeting a post calling for Israel to be banned from football.
- Complained that Musk owning Twitter means he can’t really “post my thoughts now.” The world is healing…
- Said the BBC’s removal of the documentary ‘Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone’ was “racist.“
- Posted, deleted, and apologised for an Instagram story discussing “zionism” which featured an image of a rat. The latest…
The Campaign Against Antisemitism said this morning:
“Gary Lineker’s departure from the BBC was long overdue — this latest incident comes after years of us pointing out his descent. He became a symbol of the rot at the heart of our national broadcaster: a man repeatedly allowed to flout the BBC’s own rules on impartiality, abusing his position to promote his increasingly propagandist politics, vilifying those he disagrees with, and even promoting dehumanising and extreme messages.”
No doubt now unshackled from the BBC punters will get to hear a lot more of Gary’s “true” beliefs which he claims he has kept hidden to date. Gulp…
UPDATE: BBC confirms the exit: “Gary Lineker will leave his presenting role following the conclusion of Match of the Day for the 2024/25 season. He will not be part of the BBC’s coverage of the 2026 World Cup or next season’s FA Cup coverage.”
Lineker’s statement:
“Football has been at the heart of my life for as long as I can remember – both on the pitch and in the studio.
I care deeply about the game, and about the work I’ve done with the BBC over many years.
As I’ve said, I would never consciously repost anything antisemitic – it goes against everything I stand for.
However, I recognise the error and upset that I caused, and reiterate how sorry I am. Stepping back now feels like the responsible course of action.”
Outgoing BBC football pundit Gary Lineker has had an interview with The Telegraph published today, the day after he had to issue an “unreserved apology” for posting a ‘Zionism Explained’ Instagram story with a rat emoji. Fresh calls for the BBC to sack Lineker followed…
The footballer said he doesn’t “care about the backlash” over his comments on the Gaza conflict and that “if you’re silent on these issues, you’re almost complicit.” He then hilariously went on to insist that no one knows his politics:
“I’ve never been overly loud with my politics. I won’t get involved in politics, I never really have. Apart from the Brexit vote, because I did a lot of research on that and decided, ‘This could be worse than we think’. I never back a government. I might criticise Sir Keir Starmer on Israel. But nobody knows my politics.”
After that declaration, Lineker turned to Elon Musk, saying “It’s like you’ve got Bond villains in charge of America.” Co-conspirators will remember that Gary was actually suspended by the BBC in 2023 for breaking impartiality rules after tweeting that the Tory government was using language “not dissimilar to that of Germany in the 30s” over its “immeasurably cruel” migration policy. That wasn’t his only Tory-bashing post. Another own goal…
After deleting the in-question post Gary Lineker has now “apologised unreservedly”:
“On Instagram I reposted material which I have since learned contained offensive references. I very much regret these references. I would never knowingly share anything antisemitic. It goes against everything I believe in. I take full responsibility for this mistake. That image does not reflect my views.”
Tim Davie urged staff to follow basic social media rules today. The BBC has faced calls to sack Lineker over the matter. Rare to get an apology…
Departing BBC football pundit Gary Lineker is in hot water over posting Instagram story from a pro-Palestine group, captioned: “Zionism explained in two minutes” alongside a rat emoji. Reposts of the story on X were slapped with a “hateful conduct” warning. He’s now deleted the post…
Lineker’s agent said: “Whilst viewing and reposting a video, Gary did not notice a rodent emoticon added by the author of the post. Although if he had, he would not have made any connection. The repost has been removed.” Co-conspirators can decide for themselves…
The Campaign Against Antisemitism said: “Lineker’s continued association with the BBC is untenable. He must go” while a spokesperson for the Board of Deputies of British Jews said they felt “the BBC should ask him to leave now rather than allowing him to dictate his own terms.” It’s not the first time Lineker has scored an own goal over his social media posts. “I’m a better broadcaster now“…
Farmers furious at Reeves’ inheritance tax grab have turned their ire on the state broadcaster for failing to provide them enough coverage. And they’ve brought their tractors…
Around 40 tractors turned up at lunchtime outside the BBC’s Southampton office as protesting farmers gathered outside the locked doors of the office entrance with a megaphone. Eventually BBC South’s new environment correspondent Jon Cuthill showed up to try to calm the situation. He said “use me to get your stories out there”…
Farmers at the protest say: “We feel there hasn’t been enough coverage on the BBC, so we thought we would bring the news to them… All of us have come from all over the county. [The BBC] don’t cover issues facing farmers.” Guido can think of a few examples of the BBC’s suspect reporting on that tax change:
- Confusing acres for hectares in its farm tax “fact check.“
- Citing the tax’s architect as an impartial expert to pour cold water on farmers’ claims it would be widespread and damaging. More than once…
- Using an “independent expert” to provide support the tax – it was actually Dan Neidle, senior Labour activist.
- Chopping and changing Verify articles to remove embarrassing claims that “the number of actual farms affected is likely to be below 500 per year.”
Farmers also protested the tax yesterday afternoon. Not letting up…
Paula Barker, Liverpool Wavertree MP backing Andy Burnham, told Times Radio there wouldn’t be trouble from the markets under Burnham:
“The markets will have to fall in line.”
