Gary Lineker removed from BBC after an asylum dispute

• Gary Lineker was removed from the BBC after an asylum dispute.
• Lineker’s answer to a video in which Home Secretary Suella Braverman announced.
• Match of the Day will not have a presenter or commentators.

The BBC asked former England player Gary Lineker to “step aside” from hosting his football program on Friday after he stirred controversy about impartiality by criticizing the British government’s new asylum policy.

The 62-year-old, who hosts the Match of the Day flagship show, this week on Twitter compared the language used to introduce the new policy to that of Nazi Germany.

The BBC stated that it believed Lineker’s “recent social media conduct to be a breach of our principles” and advised him to refrain from endorsing any particular political viewpoints.

In a statement, the broadcaster said: “The BBC has decided that he will step back from presenting Match of the Day until we´ve got an agreed and clear position on his use of social media.”

Lineker’s answer to a video in which Home Secretary Suella Braverman announced strategies to block migrants from traveling across the Channel on small boats set off the argument.

Lineker, the highest-paid celebrity at the BBC, stated on Twitter: “There is no significant influx. We accept significantly fewer refugees than most other major European nations.

“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.”

In an effort to dissuade thousands of migrants from traveling across the Channel on small boats, the Tory administration plans to criminalize all applications for asylum made by illegal immigrants and move them somewhere else, like Rwanda.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stated earlier this week in the House of Commons that stopping the boats is “the people’s priority” and vowed to “destroy the criminal organizations” making money off of the travels.

Yet, according to the UN and European and UN rules on asylum, the measure would turn Britain into a worldwide pariah.

In a tweet posted on Thursday, Lineker expressed his excitement about hosting Match of the Day on Saturday.

Advertisement

Well, it’s been an interesting couple of days. Happy that this ridiculously out of proportion story seems to be abating and very much looking forward to presenting @BBCMOTD on Saturday. Thanks again for all your incredible support. It’s been overwhelming.

— Gary Lineker 💙💛 (@GaryLineker) March 9, 2023

In an earlier interview, he assured reporters outside his London residence that he would continue to criticize the BBC’s immigration policy and that he had no reason to fear being fired.

According to a BBC statement from Friday, Lineker is “second to none” when it comes to sports commentary.

It added, “We have never said that Gary should be an opinion-free zone, or that he can´t have a view on issues that matter to him, but we have said that he should keep well away from taking sides on party political issues or political controversies.”

Ian Wright, a former England and Arsenal attacker, announced shortly after that he would not be participating in the program this weekend as a show of support for Lineker.

Everyone is aware of how much Match of the Day matters to him, but he tweeted, “I’ve told the BBC I won’t be doing it tomorrow. “Solidarity.”

Another former England striker and fellow analyst Alan Shearer also announced he would not participate in the segment after numerous other broadcasters spoke out in support of Lineker.

According to the BBC, Match of the Day will not have a presenter or commentators.

Spokesperson said, “Some of our pundits have said that they don´t wish to appear on the programme while we seek to resolve the situation with Gary,”

“We understand their position and we have decided that the programme will focus on match action without studio presentation or punditry.”

As he assumed the position at the end of 2020, BBC Director-General Tim Davie admonished staff about their usage of social media.

Lineker is a freelance broadcaster for the BBC, not a regular employee, and is not in charge of news or political material, hence he is exempt from the same stringent impartiality requirements.

The former Tottenham and Barcelona player has welcomed refugees into his home and has previously been outspoken in his criticism of the way the government handles border crossings for migrants.

He has long maintained that because he does not work for the BBC’s news or current affairs sections, he is free to voice his political views.

He was judged to have violated the BBC’s impartiality standards with a tweet about the Conservative Party in October, though.

Also Read

‘I will keep speaking for those with no voice’ , says Gary Lineker

Gary Lineker has stated he will continue to speak up for those...