To applaud Gary Lineker, Alan Shearer and Ian Wright, and think Suella Braverman is looking like a fool for not even understanding the comment

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Lineker called the immigration policy cruel, and compared the language and attitude of the government to 1930s Germany.

I hundred percent agree with him

Braverman started denying that anything that is happening in UK is comparable to the holocaust

She is spectacularly missing the point. The holocaust didn't happen in the 1930s

What happened in the 1930s was the slow and steady build up of racism and aggression and hate, that resulted in the holocaust in the 1940s

And the noises coming out of the government are very much like 1930s nazis

For those of you that don't have any interest in Match of the Day, Gary Lineker, the main presenter, has been suspended, in spite of being a sports commentator, and NOT a news reader or involved in current affairs programming, and NOT bound by the impartiality clause, and his two top fellow presenters have refused to appear without him

So either the BBC bosses (tory appointees) have scored a spectacular own goal,(unintended pun) in trying to supress Lineker's opinions, and turning them into world wide headlines,

OR!

Maybe they are secretly working against the government by choosing a course of action that will actually make the tories look like complete fools, while pretending to support them!

Whether you agree with Gary's views or not, the optics of this are appalling. I cannot fathom what the BBC were thinking.

Try telling my OH that he thinks they should all be sacked and he hates the BBC and Gary L . He's ranting about it tonight. I'm a bit stunned 😯

Agree.

They are trying to make it seem like he said something else because they think the something else justifies their means (it doesn't!).

But all that's happened is people have doubled down and reiterated that in fact he's right - this was the language used in the 30's.

And our government with all their independent education at top schools can't even do that basic math that the 1930's is not the 40's.

Employee / sub contractor breaks company policy and gets suspended. After repeated warnings.

Will be an interesting test of Tim Davies's nerve. The social media policy bought in by Tim Davie to try to ensure the BBC is seen as impartial was a key part of his early tenure. If he backs down on Lineaker then his leadership won't really be tenable.

Famous people shouldn't be above the rules others have to live by. Newsroom staff have been frustrated by the double standards for a long time.

Well you only have to look at the appointment of Sharp to see the way it was going.

Well done to Gary Lineker for taking a stance and for his colleagues and friends to stand by him. Braverman, Sunak, Patel, Sharma are self-haters. They think they are white and forget their Tory colleagues don’t like brown people. This country is fucked, it’s an embarrassment. They are laughing at us and stupid poor people who voted for them.

But the difference is that the Jewish Council and Holicaust survivors arent employed by the BBC. Footballers and potwashers are allowed to say what they like. People who broadcast on the BBC aren't. They're allowed to have an opinion, they're just not allowed to broadcast it.

I am extremely grateful to the three of them for taking a stand. I am sure it's not an easy thing to do given the pressure on them but it's the right thing to do.

In the words of the famous Martin Niemoeller...

First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left
To speak out for me

True.

And she also - despite outward appearances to the contrary - understands law.

That's why she was cautious yesterday about what she said to the immigration bill of returning asylum seekers immediately.

She flip flops so much I don't think she even knows what her opinion and stance is

I don't agree with what he said, and think he would have a very different opinion if a ton of Albanian men happened to be dumped on his doorstep.

However, I do believe in free speech and he's entitled to his opinion.

Famous people shouldn't be above the rules others have to live by. Newsroom staff have been frustrated by the double standards for a long time.

Lol.

Andrew Neil was a long time BBC employee and didn't hide his political views. But that's different isn't it?

Nah.

They're going to lose the next GE regardless, so it's moot in some ways, but the Tories derive no benefit from the comparisons to Nazi Germany continually being made and argued over. The populist hang them, flog them and deport their babies doesn't actually play very well with a lot of their traditional voters. They got away with pissing off the soft right in the stockbroker belts, in seats like Dominic Raab and Graham Brady's last time, because those people found Corbyn the more frightening of two evils. That's not going to happen with Starmer.

Have you ever watched Fiona Bruce on QT. She is really, really not impartial. The amount of programme time she gave to Jenrick last night was unreal. Not to mention her trying to excuse a domestic abuser.

The BBC never was traditionally. Tory’s didn’t like it though, did threats of funding cuts. Unfortunately it’s clearly no longer impartial. See appointment of Richard Sharp.

Glad these sports presenters are sticking together against blobella Braverman attempts to get them cancelled.

enough of shock jock government. Time for decency.

@Graces7 Should he not bother then? Should nobody bother? Who is worthy of freedom of speech in your opinion? If you could make a list of those you deem worthy, I’m sure that would be really helpful. TIA.

Fair play to Gary linnekar. We should call out fascism at every turn. Their (the tories) slogan and legislation screams of privilege. History is a history of class struggles.

And Fiona Bruce lives another day after trivialising domestic violence @IClaudine

Great quote.

No interest in football but cheering on Gary.

Agreed @User98866 under Sharp the BBC will never be impartial.

On an allegedly feminist website, it's astonishing how many MNers do not seem to what to discuss Fiona Bruce claudine. Bit inconvenient for some posters, it seems...

Agree OP. I 100% support Gary and his fellow presenters clearly do too. It's disgraceful what we are doing. But for the grace of God those people could be me and/or you because none of us choose our parents or where we are born.

This just goes to show that it really is time the BBC funded itself only then can it be independent of governnent.

Are you one of the few people who isn’t aware he takes in refugees? Oh dear.

Andrew Neil was a long time BBC employee and didn't hide his political views. But that's different isn't it?

Andrew Neil would deny that. He has always said that he is impartial and that no one knows how he votes. You might not agree that he manages that but he understands that as a political journalist he should appear to be impartial.

People are risking their lives in small boats to get to the UK… from France. France, where refugees can claim asylum and be safe.

No one in France NEEDS to risk their lives and those of their DC in a small boat.

There needs to be a robust asylum policy in the UK to stop people putting their lives at risk.

As for the millionaire Lineker, and all the posters saying they are happy for their taxes to fund migrants, I assume they are insulated from the reality for many of living in the UK. People already in this country can’t get access to health care, dental care, education, can’t afford housing, heating and food.

Your taxes already aren’t covering the basics.