How involved was the Government in the Gary Lineker saga last week? The BBC’s nuclear reaction to the Match of the Day host’s tweets about the new immigration bill, taking him off air, seemed extreme given that he has tweeted opinions before.
Tory peer Patience Wheatcroft said on Newsnight this week that BBC director-general Tim Davie “came under pressure from the Government”. “I have no doubt about that,” she said. But other officials have a different story. Julia Lopez, media minister, said categorically yesterday that there was “no pressure applied to the BBC by ministers”.
The Government does talk to the Beeb. Only today, a report shows how ministers asked BBC executives by text to change the wording of news reports about Covid. Did ministers have a role in Lineker having to stand down from MOTD too?
Rishi cheers artist by putting Ice Cream Van piece up in No 10
PM Rishi Sunak has chosen the work ‘Bengal Tiger Van’, pictured, by artist Chila Kumari Singh Burman from the Government Art Collection for his No 10 flat, reports the Spectator. Singh Burman, who is from Liverpool, created the piece for her father, who had an ice cream van where she worked as a kid. She told us this morning her dad “wouldn’t believe” his van would one day make it onto the walls of Downing Street.
Writer gets prize and wins new friends in Peckham
Author Tom Benn won the £10,000 Sunday Times Young Writer of the Year award last night for his novel, Oxblood. He met merry revellers on the train home who wanted to hold his award. At the Peckham Skylight event, host Johanna Thomas-Corr joked about a debate about how far the area was gentrified. “I can see a few north London writers who look a bit nervous,” she said. “It’s going to be OK”.
Dubs not impressed by immigration law
The Government’s Illegal Immigration Bill is “unworkable and unethical”, says former refugee Alf Dubs. Lord Dubs came to the UK on the Kindertransport trains from Czechoslovakia before it was invaded by the Nazis. In The House, he writes we should “should be focused on arresting traffickers rather than detaining innocent children and those with genuine claims to lawful asylum.”
Caine’s cruise control at 90
Sir Michael Caine celebrated his 90th birthday with actor friends including David Walliams and Tom Cruise, as well as pal Denise Welch. At the press night for Guys and Dolls at the Bridge Theatre last night, star Celinde Schoenmaker was in cheery mood, while Rory Kinnear and Andrew Scott embraced. Elsewhere, Olivia Colman promoted Great Expectations, in which she plays Miss Havisham, and at The Other House, Eunice Oluminde attended a UN International Women’s Day dinner.
