MOTD

[Brazilian Villain]

A chance to watch Sully again. Thank you Gary.

You're welcome, it's also on Tuesday at 10.40pm if you want to watch it again.

[WassallVillain]

Did anyone watch MOTD. what was it like? I stopped watching years ago around the time Lineker started presenting. He was awful in the early years but became quite good and on the odd occasion I do watch I like him.   

[Hookeysmith]

Left wing, right wing  can we not just agree Lineker is a complete wanker?

The post above about <removed> sums him up

No, he is not a wanker and please don’t include the rest of us in your silly comments. Anyone who is prepared to give up their means of earning to fight for a cause has to be admired.

Including the Taliban and other terrorist groups?  Not everyone or everything has to politicised and not everyone who disagrees is  a Tory apologist.

[ROBBO]

I'm confused, why are people escaping hunger and violence, desperate to live in a free and democratic society, leave France which is, I believe, free and democratic, and are willing to risk their lives just to reach another free and democratic country. I'm bemused.

[Rory]

Left wing, right wing  can we not just agree Lineker is a complete wanker?

The post above about <removed> sums him up

No, he is not a wanker and please don’t include the rest of us in your silly comments. Anyone who is prepared to give up their means of earning to fight for a cause has to be admired.

Including the Taliban and other terrorist groups?  Not everyone or everything has to politicised and not everyone who disagrees is  a Tory apologist.

Given one of the main points of contention here was an inapt comparison, I find your choice of the Taliban rather interesting.

[markeeeebeeee2005]

I'm confused, why are people escaping hunger and violence, desperate to live in a free and democratic society, leave France which is, I believe, free and democratic, and are willing to risk their lives just to reach another free and democratic country. I'm bemused.

Three potential reasons why people might want to come to the UK over somewhere else, but it will depend on each persons circumstance:

1) language - many more people can speak English than French
2) family or friend connections in the UK
3) ID cards - it’s easier to find work in the UK than France prior to your case being approved or not.

But your question is a little bit of a red herring. As France receives double the asylum applications of the UK.

In the year ending September 2021, Germany received the highest number of asylum applicants (127,730) in the EU+, followed by France (96,510). When compared with the EU+ for the same period, the UK received the 4th largest number of applicants (44, 190 – including main applicants and dependents).

The only way to solve the migrant crisis is for countries to work together and take in a fair number of refugees based on their population size. At the moment the burden falls unevenly.

Spoiler alert the UK is nowhere near doing our bit despite what Suella and Rishi would have you believe for political ends. 36% are hosted in five countries.

Turkey   3.7 million
Colombia   2.5 million
Germany   2.2 million
Pakistan   1.5 million
Uganda   1.5 million

One of the many problems with what the Gov want to do is that it won’t work as it targets the trafficked rather than the traffickers. If the Government placed their energy into providing an asylum system that is fit for purpose and hit the traffickers (many of whom live in the UK) rather than desperate people who are travelling here on little more than inflatable paddling pools we might get somewhere. As it is, the only game they’re playing is whipping up hate. They’re a Government of campaigning and propaganda rather than delivery, pretty pathetic. But hopefully this is the death throes.

The Gov has done well out of this Beeb thing as it’s whipped up their base who have been shown to be riled by this ‘issue’ in focus groups. Gary comes out of it well as he is saying what I and many others think. The Beeb is the fall guy, as they are compromised from the very top of their organisation because of their Chair being a very political appointment.

[LeonW]

Have I missed something here; Lineker (seemingly with the BBC’s support) was ok to criticise Qatar on the hosting of the World Cup during the opening ceremony  based upon a host of reasons but not ok to raise a political point about a Conservative government policy? Are these mutually exclusive political points; as in, it’s ok to have a view about one political matter, but not another?

[Rigadon]

Did anyone watch MOTD. what was it like? I stopped watching years ago around the time Lineker started presenting. He was awful in the early years but became quite good and on the odd occasion I do watch I like him.   

It was crap. 

[Baldy]

Just watched it.

To be honest it was rubbish without the banter, analysis and interviews. Too short.

I enjoy having the 'fast forward' option when Micah, Murphy and a few others are on air. 

I hope 'normal service is resumed as soon as possible'. 

[Drummond]

I'm confused, why are people escaping hunger and violence, desperate to live in a free and democratic society, leave France which is, I believe, free and democratic, and are willing to risk their lives just to reach another free and democratic country. I'm bemused.

Three potential reasons why people might want to come to the UK over somewhere else, but it will depend on each persons circumstance:

1) language - many more people can speak English than French
2) family or friend connections in the UK
3) ID cards - it’s easier to find work in the UK than France prior to your case being approved or not.

But your question is a little bit of a red herring. As France receives double the asylum applications of the UK.

In the year ending September 2021, Germany received the highest number of asylum applicants (127,730) in the EU+, followed by France (96,510). When compared with the EU+ for the same period, the UK received the 4th largest number of applicants (44, 190 – including main applicants and dependents).

The only way to solve the migrant crisis is for countries to work together and take in a fair number of refugees based on their population size. At the moment the burden falls unevenly.

Spoiler alert the UK is nowhere near doing our bit despite what Suella and Rishi would have you believe for political ends. 36% are hosted in five countries.

Turkey   3.7 million
Colombia   2.5 million
Germany   2.2 million
Pakistan   1.5 million
Uganda   1.5 million

One of the many problems with what the Gov want to do is that it won’t work as it targets the trafficked rather than the traffickers. If the Government placed their energy into providing an asylum system that is fit for purpose and hit the traffickers (many of whom live in the UK) rather than desperate people who are travelling here on little more than inflatable paddling pools we might get somewhere. As it is, the only game they’re playing is whipping up hate. They’re a Government of campaigning and propaganda rather than delivery, pretty pathetic. But hopefully this is the death throes.

The Gov has done well out of this Beeb thing as it’s whipped up their base who have been shown to be riled by this ‘issue’ in focus groups. Gary comes out of it well as he is saying what I and many others think. The Beeb is the fall guy, as they are compromised from the very top of their organisation because of their Chair being a very political appointment.

Applause

[TelfordVilla]

Did anyone watch MOTD. what was it like? I stopped watching years ago around the time Lineker started presenting. He was awful in the early years but became quite good and on the odd occasion I do watch I like him.   

I enjoyed it. I dont usually watch it because of 'all the banter' and pompous hosts and commentators. I wouldnt normally have watched last night as there was no Villa involvement but I wanted to support the programme being buffoon free.   

[RamboandBruno]

I'm confused, why are people escaping hunger and violence, desperate to live in a free and democratic society, leave France which is, I believe, free and democratic, and are willing to risk their lives just to reach another free and democratic country. I'm bemused.

Three potential reasons why people might want to come to the UK over somewhere else, but it will depend on each persons circumstance:

1) language - many more people can speak English than French
2) family or friend connections in the UK
3) ID cards - it’s easier to find work in the UK than France prior to your case being approved or not.

But your question is a little bit of a red herring. As France receives double the asylum applications of the UK.

In the year ending September 2021, Germany received the highest number of asylum applicants (127,730) in the EU+, followed by France (96,510). When compared with the EU+ for the same period, the UK received the 4th largest number of applicants (44, 190 – including main applicants and dependents).

The only way to solve the migrant crisis is for countries to work together and take in a fair number of refugees based on their population size. At the moment the burden falls unevenly.

Spoiler alert the UK is nowhere near doing our bit despite what Suella and Rishi would have you believe for political ends. 36% are hosted in five countries.

Turkey   3.7 million
Colombia   2.5 million
Germany   2.2 million
Pakistan   1.5 million
Uganda   1.5 million

One of the many problems with what the Gov want to do is that it won’t work as it targets the trafficked rather than the traffickers. If the Government placed their energy into providing an asylum system that is fit for purpose and hit the traffickers (many of whom live in the UK) rather than desperate people who are travelling here on little more than inflatable paddling pools we might get somewhere. As it is, the only game they’re playing is whipping up hate. They’re a Government of campaigning and propaganda rather than delivery, pretty pathetic. But hopefully this is the death throes.

The Gov has done well out of this Beeb thing as it’s whipped up their base who have been shown to be riled by this ‘issue’ in focus groups. Gary comes out of it well as he is saying what I and many others think. The Beeb is the fall guy, as they are compromised from the very top of their organisation because of their Chair being a very political appointment.

Its a really excellent post. The Torys know their policy around this wont work and they don’t care as the point of is not its success or failure, its a party political policy in build up to a general election, to play on some peoples concerns and whip up hatred. They really are a shower.

[TelfordVilla]

Have I missed something here; Lineker (seemingly with the BBC’s support) was ok to criticise Qatar on the hosting of the World Cup during the opening ceremony  based upon a host of reasons but not ok to raise a political point about a Conservative government policy? Are these mutually exclusive political points; as in, it’s ok to have a view about one political matter, but not another?

Lineker is allowed to criticise Qatar etc but not allowed to criticise the Conservative government as they are (apparently) his employers, indirectly. His contract requires him to be impartial in political affairs concerning the government of the day.

[algy]

Did anyone watch MOTD. what was it like? I stopped watching years ago around the time Lineker started presenting. He was awful in the early years but became quite good and on the odd occasion I do watch I like him.

Apparently I'm an outlier on here, but I quite like Lineker as a host. The pundits are hit & miss - I get the impression that a lot of can't offer much more insight than Gerrard's "moments of magic", maybe because like him a lot of their ability had been through instinct rather than having to consciously work on it. I don't know though. One of the female pundits they have on, I forget her name but she was working at the world cup, is dead good and could actually offer bits of insight that weren't absolutely bloody obvious from watching the coverage.

[LeonW]

Have I missed something here; Lineker (seemingly with the BBC’s support) was ok to criticise Qatar on the hosting of the World Cup during the opening ceremony  based upon a host of reasons but not ok to raise a political point about a Conservative government policy? Are these mutually exclusive political points; as in, it’s ok to have a view about one political matter, but not another?

Lineker is allowed to criticise Qatar etc but not allowed to criticise the Conservative government as they are (apparently) his employers, indirectly. His contract requires him to be impartial in political affairs concerning the government of the day.

I’m beginning to think this is entirely the point.