LINEKER'S TOP TEAM REFUSE TO PLAY BALL

BBC Director General Tim Davie last night insisted the Gary Lineker row was “not about left or right”.

- Tony Whitfield

And the under-fire boss declared: “We are absolutely driven by a passion for impartiality.”

With the broadcaster reeling as it was forced to scrap its football coverage yesterday, Mr Davie said there was no political agenda in the decision to withdraw Lineker from presenting Match Of The Day.

He said: “We made decisions, and I made decisions, based on a real passion about what the BBC is and it’s difficult.

“It’s this balance between free speech and impartiality.

“I honestly do not believe, despite a lot of the commentary, that this is about left or right – it’s about our ability.

“We are fierce champions of democratic debate, free speech, but with that comes the need to create an impartial organisation.”

Asked if he had buckled under pressure from the Government and right-wing press, Mr Davie said: “Absolutely not.”

He denied the former England captain was targeted because his tweets criticised the Government.

Towards the end of last year the presenter had attacked Qatar over its human rights record when the Arab state was about to stage the World Cup and was not held to account by the corporation.

Mr Davie said: “This is nothing to do with the specifics of where a tweet is sent.

“It’s about getting involved in party political matters.”

Mr Davie admitted it had been a “difficult day” but said he would not be resigning.

He said: “I’m sorry audiences have been affected and they haven’t got the programming.

“As a keen sports fan I know to miss programming is a real blow and I’m sorry about that.