Incoming BBC chair says Gary Lineker's posts on Tory MPs broke social media rules

Samir Shah, the incoming chair of the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) told British Members of Parliament on Wednesday (Dec 13) that the tweets made by sports presenter Gary Lineker mocking Conservative Party MPs broke th news corporation's social media guidelines. Shah told the committee of MPs that the tweets appeared to be breaching the rules “on the face of it”.

Lineker had elicited praise as well as rebuke for signing a letter that urged the British government to scrap its deportation to Rwanda policy for illegal asylum seekers crossing the English Channel on boats. Along with Lineker, many other celebrities had signed the letter.

UK Defence Secretary Grant Shapps subsequently told Lineker to "stick to football commentary". Lineker was also accused by Jonathan Gullis, a Conservative Party MP, of breaching BBC guidelines.

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Lineker shot back at Shapps on X (formerly Twitter) the minister's images which purportedly showed him using three names: Michael Green, Corinne Stockheath and Sebastian Fox

“A tad rich coming from someone who can’t even stick to one name. 4 chaps Shapps,” said Lineker's post.

Shapps has previously denied claims that he was using these names.

Lineker also shot back at Gullis saying, “Jonathan hasn’t read the new guidelines….or, should I say, had someone read them to him?”

This was taken as an attempt to call Gullis illiterate.

Lineker's comments 'not very helpful'

On Wednesday, Shah told the committee of MPs that Lineker's comments “seem to breach those guidelines”.

“I don’t think it was very helpful either for Gary Lineker or the BBC or the cause he supports because it becomes a story about Gary Lineker and the BBC.” he said as quoted by The Independent.

“As far as I’m aware, the signing of the letter did not breach those guidelines," Shah said.

“But the more recent tweet in which he identifies a politician does, on the face of it, seem to breach those guidelines. I’m not sure how egregious it is but I imagine the BBC is looking into it and considering its response.”

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When the committee asked Shah what would he have done in this situation if he was BBC Chairman.

“I think it’s our duty to monitor and see how well guidelines are delivering their purpose,” said Shah.

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Shah also said that he would invite Tim Davie, Director-General of the BBC to “interrogate quite forcibly” to see if the social media guidelines were having the effect they are designed to have.

(With inputs from agencies)