When the Tory membership at the BBC decided to go after Gary Lineker, they failed to realise that they couldn’t be the bully boys for once. Tories are used to crushing people who have to put food on the table, into submission. However, during and after the pandemic then through their constructed ‘Stop the Boats’ campaign, they have run into people who are not fighting for scraps.

Big Money and Education

Sports stars are not miners without a pot to piss in, nurses struggling to pay the mortgage, or beat bobbies told change their Hillsborough statement or lose their job and pension. They are wealthy people and as a consequence of receiving better education as part of a big club, they are showing a conscience and a voice. Football players are huge asset and clubs who take them at an early age need to pacify nervous parents. They do this by ensuring they get an education to set them up if they don’t make the cut.

So, when the Tory press and the carefully selected board at the BBC went after Gary Lineker, I thought this. “The outcome might be one that they are not used to”. You see, if Lineker never presents MOTD again, it won’t affect his lifestyle. Not only that, standing in solidarity with him are people like Alan Shearer and Ian Wright. They are both worth millions from being footballers, then pundits and public speakers. There is big money in football. It’s probably the nearest you can get to pop stardom, banking or becoming a Tory MP and handing your mates PPE contracts.

No Grovelling Apology

So, rather than cowering in a corner and coming back with a grovelling apology to his masters, Lineker stood up for himself. His colleagues who like him as a person and admire him as presenter, went with him. Solidarity in action when Davie and Sharp thought Lineker would be an isolated figure within weeks, if not days. Oh dear, they read the room wrong. What a shame.

Wittingly or unwittingly, Lineker has overachieved. Not only has he highlighted the appalling and unworkable dog whistle immigration policy akin to 1930’s Germany. He has also exposed who runs the BBC. These people are Tory Party members and government mouthpieces who have exploited public apathy or stupidity, to take over what is supposed to be an independent, taxpayer funded, information service.

I am sorry, but anyone who doesn’t see that is wrong, is pig ignorant or a supporter state authoritarianism. Probably both.