The BBC must U-turn on Gary Lineker and bow to the principle of free speech

Editorial: The presenter’s words were offensive and wrong but the corporation has handled them badly

The BBC should recognise that the case has become one of free speech (PA)

If ever there was a time for a referee to turn a blind eye to a foul, it was the British Broadcasting Corporation’s chance on Friday. Gary Lineker, its leading sports presenter, had broken the BBC’s guidelines on impartiality but what seems to have turned an awkwardness into a crisis was his refusal to apologise.

On Thursday, the BBC said it took the matter “seriously” and that Tim Davie, its director general, would have a “frank conversation” with the presenter. On Friday, however, it suspended Mr Lineker “until we’ve got an agreed and clear position on his use of social media”.

It would have been better if the BBC had contented itself with issuing a mild rebuke and overlooked what it presumably regarded as a threat by Mr Lineker to continue to breach BBC rules. Instead it got itself into a public relations disaster area, in which it appeared to be trying to censor a popular presenter for criticising an unpopular government.