BBC flagship presenters banned from attacks on political parties

Flagship presenters including Match Of The Day host Gary Lineker have been banned from making attacks on political parties.

It comes in a review into the corporation’s social media guidelines after Lineker compared the language used by the Conservative Government to promote its asylum plans to 1930s Germany in a post on Twitter, sparking an impartiality row.

Former England striker Lineker, who was briefly taken off air due to the post and later returned following a boycott by top talent, described the updated rules as “all very sensible” in a post on X, formerly Twitter.

The new rules also affect Strictly Come Dancing hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, The Apprentice’s Lord Alan Sugar and Antiques Roadshow’s Fiona Bruce, as well as Dragons’ Den’s Evan Davis, MasterChef hosts John Torode and Gregg Wallace and The One Show’s Alex Jones.

Radio presenters Greg James, Zoe Ball, Vernon Kay and Scott Mills were also named as presenters of flagship programmes, but the full list will be “kept under review”, the broadcaster said.

The corporation said the guidance does not include contributors, pundits, judges or guest hosts but does apply to presenters of major sporting events and Top Gear – which is currently not in production.

The guidance states presenters cannot endorse or attack a political party, criticise the character of individual politicians in the UK, comment on political debate during a UK general election or referendum, or take up an official role in campaigning groups while the programme is on air and for a two-week window before and after the series.

Speaking about the guidelines, BBC director general Tim Davie told BBC News: “I think we’ve been very clear now in this new guidance, which I think is thoughtful, the new ways in which we want to treat social media guidance for a specific group of people, and it’s really important this, which is those presenters who are fronting flagship programmes.”

He admitted this group of top on-air talent presented a “particular challenge” with the regulation but feels the rules now outline “fixed parameters”.

“Today we have announced that guidance… which clearly says there are some fixed parameters around political campaigning or criticising politicians, but also recognise, I think, realistically where we are in terms of their ability to talk about issues they care about,” he said.

Speaking to the BBC’s culture and media editor, Katie Razzall, he also emphasised that many of those presenting major BBC programmes are freelancers, saying: “These people don’t work for the BBC, that’s really important.

“They are doing other things. I think we are trying to get the right balance, someone who is doing a programme for only a few weeks a year – I think it’s appropriate we are not saying we are not restricting them for the whole year. So what we have said, is while they are on air, two weeks either side and the elections period.

“I think it’s really important that we are seen as fair and balanced and impartial, but that doesn’t mean you have a set of guidelines that would frankly restrict our ability to get fantastic broadcasters like Gary. We have to have that conversation.”

Mr Davie clarified that news and current affairs presenters will remain “bound by extremely tight guidelines” on impartiality while general guidelines have also been put in place for the “whole population” which he said are “clear around civility and bringing the BBC into disrepute”.

In a previous statement, Mr Davie thanked former ITN boss John Hardie, who conducted the review, “for such a thorough, clear and considered report”.

Meanwhile, former head of editorial policy at the BBC, Richard Ayre said on BBC News: “The fact that Gary Lineker has welcomed these guidelines tells you quite a lot about what Gary thinks about them.

“I think that he must believe that they empower him to say pretty much what he has already said.

“In other words, when he said six months ago in criticising Government policy that the language used by the Government was reminiscent of that of Germany in the 1930s, I don’t see anything in the new guidelines which will stop him from saying that again.

“I think that would now be acceptable to the BBC.”

Mr Ayre added: “I suspect Gary will feel able to continue to say the sort of things he said before, I think it probably is a win for Gary Lineker, that doesn’t mean it’s wrong for the BBC because it is a recognition that the people who work for it do have lives of their own.”

Mr Hardie spoke to more than 80 people, both inside and outside the BBC as part of the review.

Setting out his recommendations, he said: “High-profile presenters outside of journalism should be able to express views on issues and policies – including matters of political contention – but stop well short of campaigning in party politics or for activist organisations”.

The BBC said the specific guidance for flagship programmes “recognises the importance of freedom of expression” and is in addition to the existing impartiality guidance for individuals working in news and current affairs and factual journalism production, which remains the same.

However, freelancers and BBC staff who do not fall into that category or present a flagship show, such as actors, dramatists, comedians, musicians and pundits do not fall under the new social media rules on impartiality but “must not bring the BBC into disrepute”.