Will Gary Lineker get a red card from the BBC over his tweets? Probably not

The BBC needs the presenter perhaps more than the former footballer needs the corporation. And that could define any punishment

Gary Lineker may have famously managed to avoid being carded for foul play during a 16-year professional football career, but the latest politically loaded social media salvo from the BBC’s highest-paid presenter has the corporation’s director general seeing red.

Tim Davie, who may now be rueing the £6.75m deal to keep the former England star at the BBC until 2025 that was announced two weeks after he took over running the corporation, has made it his mission to rebuild a “fragile trust” with government by reining in perceived impartiality on and off screen. To that end, an ultra-strict social media policy is now in force for news staff.