The company employing him is

and that company may - or may not - have signed up to the impartiality guidelines.

And there is sufficient distance to be able to challenge whether it is a reasonable policy to expect a third party contractor to have to comply with on their personal time.

Indeed I think it is actually in the BBC's financial interests for it to *not* apply, as there are significant IR35 consequences were he to be seen as an employee of the BBC, such that they would want as much clear water as possible between the expectations on a BBC employee and the expectations on Lineker.

But, ironies of all ironies, it is in the BBC's political interests to s**t down his criticism of the Government, citing the need for "impartiality".

Posted By: CWC, Mar 9, 12:19:57