Good old Alastair Campbell has been out and about today, showing just why he was once such a valued spin doctor. The onetime master of the dark arts has been vexed, nay outraged, over Tory MPs daring to question Gary Lineker’s decision to liken the government’s rhetoric on asylum seekers ‘to that used by Germany in the 30s.’ For good measure the BBC star added the legislation proposed was ‘immeasurably cruel.’

Campbell has been working himself into a self-righteous lather about those pointing out that Lineker is supposed to be bound by the Beeb’s impartiality guidelines, firing off endless tweets that suggest the row is a storm ‘whipped up by the populist right.’ He even wrote an article for the New European, titled ‘In defence of Gary Lineker’ in which he claimed ‘It’s the right and the duty of anyone with a platform to speak out against this cruelty.’

Noble stuff. But Mr S thought it is worth noting that while Campbell no doubt genuinely supports Lineker’s opposition to Suella Braverman’s Bill – he is a Labour tribalist after all – Campbell does have an interest in Lineker’s fortunes. After all, Campbell stars on the Rest Is Politics podcast, which is produced by Goalhanger Productions, owned by one G Lineker. Given Campbell’s lightning-quick tendency to jump on any perceived Tory conflicts of interest, Mr S wonders if he will be pointing that out on his over-active Twitter feed.

Perhaps not – he didn’t feel the need to declare it in the New European after all…

https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/alastair-campbell-spins-for-gary-lineker/


The Rest is Politics is a podcast hosted by Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart, produced by Goldhanger Productions, owned by Gary Lineker:

https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-rest-is-politics/id1611374685

They've just been discussing the legacy of the Iraq war.

And discussing Lineker's tweet in support of refugees.