After “Good heavens, this is beyond awful” remark against Braverman, Lineker vows to support migrants
The BBC‘s “highest paid star” and former English professional footballer Gary Lineker is unlikely to be silenced as he has reportedly vowed to “keep speaking up” over the Government’s anti-migrants policy.
The football host, 62, who still holds England’s record for goals in FIFA World Cup, risks being rapped by BBC bosses for “impartiality,” Daily Mirror reports.
It comes after BBC chairman Richard Sharp kept his job after helping to land former PM Boris Johnson an £800,000 loan, the report said.
Lineker thanked his fans amid growing disbelief that the BBC plans to censure him for attacking Suella Braverman’s “Nazi” small boats plan. Daily Mirror added.
I have never known such love and support in my life than I’m getting this morning (England World Cup goals aside, possibly). I want to thank each and every one of you. It means a lot. I’ll continue to try and speak up for those poor souls that have no voice. Cheers all.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) March 8, 2023
Far from backing down after sparking fury among Tory supporters for comparing the Home Secretary’s anti-migrant policy to 1930s Germany, the defiant Match of the Day presenter went on the offensive.
Meanwhile, the BBC reported that it is having a “frank conversation” with Gary Lineker after the Match of the Day host tweeted critically about the government’s asylum policy.
Lineker said the language in which the plan was set out was “not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s”.
The BBC has impartiality guidelines and the corporation said Lineker was being “spoken to” about his responsibilities, the broadcaster said.
Home Secretary Suella Braverman said she was “disappointed” by the comments.
On Tuesday, the government outlined its plans to effectively ban anyone arriving via an illegal route from claiming asylum in the UK.
Anyone found to have entered the country illegally will also be blocked from returning or claiming British citizenship in future.
The measure is part of attempts to address an increase in the number of people arriving in the UK via Channel crossings each year, which rose from around 300 in 2018 to more than 45,000 in 2022, according to the broadcaster.
Responding to a video message setting out the policy by Braverman, Lineker tweeted: “Good heavens, this is beyond awful.”
Told by another user he was “out of order”, he added: “We take far fewer refugees than other major European countries.
“This is just an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s, and I’m out of order?”
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