The BBC has admitted it has impartiality ‘arrangements’ with some of its stars after defending Lord Alan Sugar in the row over Gary Lineker’s comments on the Government’s Illegal Migration Bill.
David Jordan, the BBC’s Director of Editorial Policy, explained there is an ‘arrangement’ in place with Lord Sugar, whose latest series of The Apprentice is currently being shown by the corporation.
It comes amid accusations of hypocrisy from supporters of Lineker after tweets posted by Lord Sugar in December last year in which he slammed RMT leader Mick Lynch.
He accused the union boss of ‘bringing the country to its knees’ and enjoying the publicity fuelled by the widespread industrial action.
But Mr Jordan defended Lord Sugar’s tweets, saying BBC stars are not expected to curb political views then not in the spotlight of the corporation, The Telegraph reports.
Lord Sugar posted a series of tweets in December last year in which he slammed RMT leader Mick Lynch
Gary Lineker sparked mutinous chaos at the BBC last week when he was asked to step back from presenting Match of the Day
He said: ‘Alan Sugar has been very, very restrained recently you would have noticed because he is presenting The Apprentice, Jordan said when appearing on The Media Show.
‘He voluntarily constrains himself on social media when he’s very identified with the BBC presenting The Apprentice and just before that or just after that,’ continued.
‘The rest of the time he’s free to say, as a business person, what he wants to say.’
And when asked whether Lord Sugar’s announcement that he was backing the Conservative Party at the 2019 General Election caused any issues within the BBC, Mr Jordan added the comments came after a policy change.
He continued: ‘It would have been an issue if it had come up during The Apprentice run.’
His comments have highlighted how some presenters and freelancers are exempt from the BBC’s political impartiality rules and instead have individual understandings with senior bosses.
As The Apprentice is only shown for a short period of the year, it is understood Lord Sugar has greater freedom to express political reviews.
In a series of tweets last year, Lord Sugar wrote: ‘Mick Lynch loves the cameras. He got stitched up on GMB today. Next thing he’ll be doing Strictly or appearing on Graham Norton. Anyone know how much he is paid.’
He added: ‘Hello Mick Lynch are you happy with yourself bringing the country and ordinary people down on their knees over Xmas.
‘You don’t fool me waiting for the employers to come to table. You love the publicity. Your members would like to earn what you get. Why don’t you waive your salary.’
As Lineker hosts Match of the Day for most Saturdays throughout the year, he may not have had the same agreement.
However, the former England footballer’s agent revealed yesterday that he believed he had a ‘special agreement’ with BBC director general Tim Davie to tweet about migrants and immigration.
Lineker will return to TV screens to present live coverage of the FA Cup quarter-final between Manchester City and Burnley on Saturday
Jon Holmes, who has worked with Lineker for more than 40 years, pictured arriving at The King Power Stadium to watch Leicester and Chelsea on Saturday
Jon Holmes, who has worked with Lineker for more than 40 years, said Lineker had a ‘passionate interest’ in the subject and believed he had permission to tweet about the issue.
He also revealed how he was called into Broadcasting House, the BBC’s headquarters in central London, on Friday as part of efforts to resolve the situation.
Mr Holmes, also the former chairman of Leicester City, told New Statesman: ‘Gary takes a passionate interest in refugees and, as he saw it, had a special agreement with Tim Davie, the BBC’s director general, to tweet about these issues.’
He added: ‘But when they asked me how the matter could be resolved, I told them taking Gary off the air would not be helpful and we needed to clarify the guidelines.’
The agent said he resisted saying ‘I told you so’ after the BBC’s football coverage was hit by fellow presenters and pundits walking out in solidarity with Lineker.
Mr Holmes continued: ‘In my view, the BBC did not have to put itself in that position and publish its statement.
‘It’s best not to feed the beast. You starve it – that’s how you achieve a quick resolution to problems like these.’
Lineker will return to TV screens to present live coverage of the FA Cup quarter-final between Manchester City and Burnley on Saturday.
Mr Davie said he had taken ‘proportionate action’ over the controversial tweet and insisted he had not backed down in the row, but he has been accused of ‘capitulating’ to the former footballer.
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