Do the Tories now own the BBC

I think appearing with a public figure and expressing an explicit political opinion are two differing things - though they can overlap.

Of course a BBC employee has the right to hold any private political position he wishes - even positions that fail to impress the BBC's extensive DIE administration.

The reason I think this is required is twofold.

Firstly, the BBC is supposed to appear impartial
Secondly, the public life profile (renown) of a BBC presenter is publicly funded. Using this renown to forward your political opinions at the expense of others, is cheating (a form of stealing from your political opponents).

I think you have this upside down.

I think an exception should be made for indicating you support a particular political party when asked. The problematic behaviour is using your publicly funded BBC profile to advertise controversial political positions and argue against your opposition.

This would not stop Gary arguing his position as "Mr Smith"

Is there nothing in the contract saying you have to follow the editorial guidelines?

If not, what is the point of them?

The BBC has been an overweeningly leftist organisation for decades, at least in culture if not explicitly. The current DG is quite clearly trying to enforce some semblance of impartiality. Not that I think that anyone is fooled.

No one is getting my point - that Gary Linekar OFF AIR and outside of work has every right to express personal opinions, provided that they are not offensive, abusive, insulting or derogatory, on a public domain which is available to all.

If you cannot accept the "Libertarian Concept" then you must favour the kind of society which exists in Russia, North Korea or China.

Mr Andrew Neal comes immediately to mind as someone with specific Conservative views, which he regularly expressed, not least in newspaper columns, at the same time he was employed by the BBC.

As stated previously - the TORY BOSSES at the BBC are going to lose this fight, and I see now that its now affecting most BBC Sports programmes, with many now been cancelled because staff have walked.

From Marcus Rashford to Gary Linekar - the Tories attempted to silence criticism, but they wont win .... never

I think there are people who have found his words offensive and insulting; comparing the illegal immigration Bill's language similar to what Germany used in the '30's.

This is "censure" or gagging of a citizen from expressing his or her views, and Gary Linekar s views on this topical issue is NOT political, in so much as it makes no reference to Party Politics.

There are a great many people in this country, including me, who can now see that for some people in mortal danger or distress, there is now no means available to request asylum in the UK, and that is an indisputable fact.

In the 1930s there were many politicians and people in this country who opposed granting refuge to Jews from Germany.

If Gary Linekar in his own free thinking mind, wishes to express his opinion on the subject, the same as thousands of other famous people have done on Twitter, then why should the Tory Boss of the BBC stop him. ?

Its a step too far, and as I posted previously, this time the Tories are not going to get away with it