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Gary Lineker has sought to clear up any confusion over his absence from Match of the Day on Saturday evening, following his temporary suspension by BBC bosses over his criticism of the federal government’s plan for asylum seekers.
BBC soccer protection was plunged into disaster final month after Lineker was requested to step again from presenting duties, prompting his fellow presenters, pundits and commentators to withdraw from exhibits in solidarity. He was reinstated three days later.
In a nod to the latest row, the previous England footballer wrote on Twitter within the hours earlier than Saturday’s broadcast: “Simply so there’s no misunderstanding, I gained’t be doing @BBCMOTD tonight. I’m not suspended, simply on vacation. Again subsequent week.”
Amongst these to reply was Monty Python actor Eric Idle, who joked that he deliberate to “go on vacation tonight in sympathy with Gary”. Lineker shared the response to his practically 9 million followers, captioned with laughing emojis.
It comes amid elevated scrutiny of the social media output of Lineker and different BBC workers after the row prompted director-general Tim Davie to order an impartial overview of the broadcaster’s social media pointers.
Reinstating Lineker final month, Mr Davie pointed to “gray areas” within the steering launched underneath his watch in 2020 and mentioned Lineker “will abide by the editorial pointers” till the overview is full.
Whereas Lineker, a freelancer, isn’t certain by the identical impartiality guidelines as workers journalists, BBC steering states that its high-profile stars are anticipated “to keep away from taking sides on party-political points”.
The row was sparked after he described a Dwelling Workplace video of Suella Braverman introducing the federal government’s new invoice – which might ban individuals who arrive in Britain in small boats from ever claiming asylum within the UK – as “past terrible”.
(BBC)
Replying to a Twitter person who mentioned “it was “simple to hold forth when it doesn’t have an effect on you”, Lineker added: “There isn’t a large inflow. We take far fewer refugees than different main European international locations. That is simply an immeasurably merciless coverage directed on the most weak individuals in language that’s not dissimilar to that utilized by Germany within the 30s, and I’m out of order?”
His remarks got here as the house secretary – who has beforehand warned of “an invasion” on the south coast – was closely criticised over her “inflammatory” declare in parliament that 100 million potential refugees “are coming right here” – regardless of simply 89,000 individuals making asylum claims final 12 months.
The presenter mentioned earlier this week that he was “nonetheless bewildered” by the “foolish” row over his feedback, calling it “so disproportionate”.
“I by no means contemplated it will be a difficulty in any respect,” he advised the Relaxation is Politics podcast, recalling having beforehand advised Mr Davie that the “two issues” he would “not again down on” have been the refugee disaster and local weather change – to which he claimed the BBC chief “agreed”.
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