BBC license fee to go up by £15. Will you keep paying it?

[JackyJoll]

As for not knowing what he's talking about, 461 club appearances with 238 goals, 80 England appearances with 48 goals etc.

Did his 461 club appearances with 238 goals, 80 England appearances with 48 goals etc., involve talking?

[DefTrap]

I reckon if lineker was banging on about Hunter Biden's laptop there wouldn't be any criticism, well not by the same crowd anyway.

You don't like what he says, I get that, just be honest about why.

[Dodgy69]

I don't see any problems with anyone having an opinion on whatever subject, we should all be capable of having an opinion, unless you're a real dope.

Think is, we don't HAVE to agree or be influenced by it either, unless you're a real dope.

[Dodgy69]

I'm not ' general ' then, but ye, I know what you mean.

[mangocrazy]

The general public are influenced by public figures giving opinions on national TV, this is simply fact.

Ah yes - 'fact'. Substitute 'opinion' for 'fact' and you're on safer ground.

If you think they shouldn’t be controlled and should be free to influence people however they see fit based on their own personal politics then that’s your opinion.

But they are controlled and for good reason.

If GL was offering personal opinions on a topic other than footy on live TV then that would be absolutely the case.

As a member of the public he can express his opinions, just like the rest of us. The 'fact' that GL's opinions generate way more media interest than yours or mine is simply due to the nature of fame.

[DefTrap]

You like him because he’s playing your tune and you naturally think that everyone else is as biased as you.

I like him because he's a decent footy pundit and not your typical footy thicket. That he plays my tune is icing on the cake. If you really want terrible sports journalism head over to TalkSport and have your fill of terrible ignorant misogynists and xenophobes "having their say" in the spirit of "a bit of a chat about sports" egged on by similarly brutal pundits. These are the people you should be complaining about. Buy yeah lineker fairly pointing out abhorrent government policy is apparently beyond the pale.

[Bigjawa]

I actually thought you were talking about Joey Barton.

Look, Linekar could play football and I can't, I bet he can't reverse a 40 foot trailer onto a loading bay, I can. But nobody in their right mind should listen to either of us on political issues. Although I agreed with him in the 1930 Germany thing.

[demographic]

Shitload of kettles calling the pot black on here as far as people calling Linaker.

Its actually amusing to see the Express ,Mail readers showing their extreme bitterness as far as just another person having the sheer temerity to have an opinion on something

Snowflakes

[Yambo]

Shitload of kettles calling the pot black on here as far as people calling Linaker.

Its actually amusing to see the Express ,Mail readers showing their extreme bitterness as far as just another person having the sheer temerity to have an opinion on something

Snowflakes

I think you're missing the point . . .

[Taipan]

The problem a lot of people have with Lineker is he flaunts the BBCs impartiality rules and gets away with it. Vorderman had to jump before she was pushed (or was was she pushed?) for saying much less than Lineker. I think he'll continue to do what he pleases as the BBC wont want to lose him like they did Jonathan Ross.

I don't watch footie, but assume he must be a good presenter to get £1.35 million but the whole football industry is grossly overpaid for what it is, so no real surprises there.

[DefTrap]

I noticed that Naga Munchetty (an actual Beeb journo) hosted last weeks HIGNFY - seems like a bit of a contradiction. She certainly seemed to relish sticking it to the government on more than one occasion. If this is the only place where the Beeb (and their "stooge" presenters and panellists) can freely flout the incumbent government's party propaganda in the spirit of humour, maybe GL should save up all his comments and get himself invited on as a presenter / panellist more often?

But I think it' way more likely this is just football hatred with a bit of money jealousy thrown in.

[mangocrazy]

But I think it' way more likely this is just football hatred with a bit of money jealousy thrown in.

Yes, I've thought that for a while. If rich 'pillars of the establishment' are under the spotlight due to dodgy financial dealings, certain posters will leap to their defence, while simultaneously castigating Gary Lineker et al for the crime of being rich and having an opinion (that doesn't chime with theirs...)

[Count Steer]

The thing that actually amuses me is that the dead tree media are the ones that really get their knickers in a twist when people use their influence/reach/media accounts to share a view that doesn't fit with theirs/the owners.

'How very dare anyone else foist their personal opinions on the general public!?' Oh, the irony.

[Taipan]

But I think it' way more likely this is just football hatred with a bit of money jealousy thrown in.

Yes, I've thought that for a while. If rich 'pillars of the establishment' are under the spotlight due to dodgy financial dealings, certain posters will leap to their defence, while simultaneously castigating Gary Lineker et al for the crime of being rich and having an opinion (that doesn't chime with theirs...)

IME many peoples resentment of celebs is due to their charity requests. Multimillionaires asking the poor to give all they can etc. People don't seem to get its celebrities using their fame and time for a good cause, but I do get the claim that Celebs are far better (financially) placed than many to actually make a difference.

Resentment for Lineker is obvious as he calls for migrants to able to come here, but they wont end up in his leafy suburb, they'll end up in cities and towns where some of its population is homeless and eating from food banks etc and they'll remain worse off than the migrants. That's pretty galling for many people in this economic climate are they're angry about it, and its why immigration is a key factor in the forthcoming elections.

[Count Steer]

But I think it' way more likely this is just football hatred with a bit of money jealousy thrown in.

Yes, I've thought that for a while. If rich 'pillars of the establishment' are under the spotlight due to dodgy financial dealings, certain posters will leap to their defence, while simultaneously castigating Gary Lineker et al for the crime of being rich and having an opinion (that doesn't chime with theirs...)

IME many peoples resentment of celebs is due to their charity requests. Multimillionaires asking the poor to give all they can etc. People don't seem to get its celebrities using their fame and time for a good cause, but I do get the claim that Celebs are far better (financially) placed than many to actually make a difference.

Resentment for Lineker is obvious as he calls for migrants to able to come here, but they wont end up in his leafy suburb, they'll end up in cities and towns where some of its population is homeless and eating from food banks etc and they'll remain worse off than the migrants. That's pretty galling for many people in this economic climate are they're angry about it, and its why immigration is a key factor in the forthcoming elections.

He's done no such thing. He's criticised the asylum policy which isn't the same thing at all.

[cheb]

But I think it' way more likely this is just football hatred with a bit of money jealousy thrown in.

Yes, I've thought that for a while. If rich 'pillars of the establishment' are under the spotlight due to dodgy financial dealings, certain posters will leap to their defence, while simultaneously castigating Gary Lineker et al for the crime of being rich and having an opinion (that doesn't chime with theirs...)

IME many peoples resentment of celebs is due to their charity requests. Multimillionaires asking the poor to give all they can etc. People don't seem to get its celebrities using their fame and time for a good cause, but I do get the claim that Celebs are far better (financially) placed than many to actually make a difference.

Resentment for Lineker is obvious as he calls for migrants to able to come here, but they wont end up in his leafy suburb, they'll end up in cities and towns where some of its population is homeless and eating from food banks etc and they'll remain worse off than the migrants. That's pretty galling for many people in this economic climate are they're angry about it, and its why immigration is a key factor in the forthcoming elections.

One that got me was a comedian imploring us to help a struggling theatre, he could have bought it several times over with his own money and run it as a going concern. Or maybe he didn't think it was good investment for his money...

[Taipan]

Yes, I've thought that for a while. If rich 'pillars of the establishment' are under the spotlight due to dodgy financial dealings, certain posters will leap to their defence, while simultaneously castigating Gary Lineker et al for the crime of being rich and having an opinion (that doesn't chime with theirs...)

IME many peoples resentment of celebs is due to their charity requests. Multimillionaires asking the poor to give all they can etc. People don't seem to get its celebrities using their fame and time for a good cause, but I do get the claim that Celebs are far better (financially) placed than many to actually make a difference.

Resentment for Lineker is obvious as he calls for migrants to able to come here, but they wont end up in his leafy suburb, they'll end up in cities and towns where some of its population is homeless and eating from food banks etc and they'll remain worse off than the migrants. That's pretty galling for many people in this economic climate are they're angry about it, and its why immigration is a key factor in the forthcoming elections.

He's done no such thing. He's criticised the asylum policy which isn't the same thing at all.

I just saw the news and his latest actions. Anyway, he doesn't want then to go to Rwanda and stay here which amounts to the same thing. He's been very vocal (tweets) in his support for migrants coming to the uk, which what i'm referring to.

[JamJar]

IME many peoples resentment of celebs is due to their charity requests. Multimillionaires asking the poor to give all they can etc. People don't seem to get its celebrities using their fame and time for a good cause, but I do get the claim that Celebs are far better (financially) placed than many to actually make a difference.

Resentment for Lineker is obvious as he calls for migrants to able to come here, but they wont end up in his leafy suburb, they'll end up in cities and towns where some of its population is homeless and eating from food banks etc and they'll remain worse off than the migrants. That's pretty galling for many people in this economic climate are they're angry about it, and its why immigration is a key factor in the forthcoming elections.

He's done no such thing. He's criticised the asylum policy which isn't the same thing at all.

I just saw the news and his latest actions. Anyway, he doesn't want then to go to Rwanda and stay here which amounts to the same thing. He's been very vocal (tweets) in his support for migrants coming to the uk, which what i'm referring to.

You do know that the Rwanda plan is a scam don't you? It only allows for very limited numbers each year (100 or so ) and it is reciprocal deal so we have to take Rwandan refugees.

[Taipan]

He's done no such thing. He's criticised the asylum policy which isn't the same thing at all.

I just saw the news and his latest actions. Anyway, he doesn't want then to go to Rwanda and stay here which amounts to the same thing. He's been very vocal (tweets) in his support for migrants coming to the uk, which what i'm referring to.

You do know that the Rwanda plan is a scam don't you? It only allows for very limited numbers each year (100 or so ) and it is reciprocal deal so we have to take Rwandan refugees.

I'd always seen it as a sneaky ruse by the govt to make the UK look like a less desirable destination. If you was a migrant you wouldn't want to come here if you were likely to then get shipped out to Rwanda would you...

[mangocrazy]

and its why immigration is a key factor in the forthcoming elections.

To you, maybe, but for most people it's way down the list behind the cost of living crisis, inflation, waiting lists in an impoverished NHS, energy prices and government incompetence. The only people trying to make it an issue are the Mail/Telegraph/Express and their multi-mullion pound backers. Trying to make immigration an issue is pure dog-whistle politics.