Gary Lineker says he doesn’t fear suspension from BBC role – and stands by his criticism of govt’s migrant policy
Match Of The Day presenter Gary Lineker has told reporters outside his London home that he stands by his criticism of the government’s asylum seeker policy and does not fear suspension by the BBC.
The former England striker, 62, has faced criticism from members of the Conservative party after comparing the language used to launch the policy with 1930s Germany.
It has sparked a row over whether he has adhered to the BBC’s impartiality rules.
When approached by reporters this morning, Lineker said “yes I would like to say something, very good morning to you” as he walked to a waiting car.
As he passed round the back of the vehicle, he said “no” when asked if he fears suspension over his tweets.
Then as he climbed into the rear passenger seat, he responded to a reporter asking if he has spoken to the BBC, saying: “I’m always talking to the BBC.”
Asked if he had spoken to the director general, he said, after a pause, “yeah” before adding “he said… well we chat often”.
Before closing the door, he was asked if he regretted his tweet. He responded “no” and when asked if he stood by it he said “course”.
The retired footballer is a freelance broadcaster for the BBC, not a permanent member of staff, and is not responsible for news or political content so does not need to adhere to the same rules on impartiality as other employees.
He had shared a Twitter video put out by the home secretary in which she unveiled government plans to stop migrant boats crossing the Channel.
“Good heavens, this is beyond awful,” he wrote.
Lineker wrote in another tweet: “There is no huge influx. 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?”
Home Secretary Suella Braverman told ITV’s Good Morning Britain she was “very disappointed” by Lineker’s comments and branded them “irresponsible”.
Meanwhile, Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said it is important for the BBC to maintain impartiality if it is to “retain the trust of the public who pay the licence fee”.
Ms Frazer added: “As somebody whose grandmother escaped Nazi Germany in the 1930s, I think it’s really disappointing and inappropriate to compare government policy on immigration to events in Germany in the 1930s.”
“The BBC is operationally independent and I’m pleased that the BBC will be speaking to Gary Lineker, to remind him of his responsibilities in relation to social media,” she added.
Read more:
Is the government’s new Illegal Migration Bill legal?
Lineker hits back after home sec says his remarks were ‘irresponsible’
Lineker has said he doesn’t fear being suspended by the BBC
Meanwhile, DUP MP Gregory Campbell has called for “lefty Lineker” to be paid around £1.3m less than he currently is.
Mr Campbell told the Commons: “Will she (culture secretary) meet again with the director general to ensure that the BBC reviews the contracts of well-known multimillionaire lefty (Gary) Lineker, who presents himself as a sports presenter with very scandalous views about government policy and decide whether he is a sports presenter or a political pundit and he should be paid about £1.3 million less than he currently is from the public purse?”
Meanwhile, TalkTV presenter Piers Morgan is among several media personalities who have come out in support of Lineker.
In relation to revelations BBC chairman Richard Sharp played a role in securing an £800,000 loan for Boris Johnson, Labour MP Clive Efford asked in the Commons this morning: “Which is the greater evidence of political bias: Gary Lineker criticising the government’s language from his private Twitter account, or the chairman of the BBC giving donations to the Conservative Party?”
Former BBC director Roger Mosey has said his sympathies lie with Lineker but he feels impartiality is the best policy for the corporation’s presenters.
He told Times Radio today: “Personally, my sympathies are on Gary’s side of this argument and I don’t like that the Tory right are attacking Gary or wanting him sacked, I have a bit less sympathy with (that).”
A Romanian grooming gang has been convicted of sexually exploiting 10 vulnerable women in Dundee.
Four men and one woman were found guilty of dozens of offences – including rape – following an extensive investigation into sexual exploitation, human trafficking, and the supply of drugs in the Tayside area.
Marian Cumpanasoiu, 37, Remus Stan, 34, Catalin Dobre, 44, Cristian Urlateanu, 41, and Alexandra Bugonea, 34, denied any wrongdoing but on Thursday were convicted following a trial at the High Court in Glasgow.
Detective Inspector Scott Carswell branded the offenders “deplorable” in an interview with Sky News’ Scotland correspondent, Connor Gillies.
The detective said the gang plied the women with alcohol and free Class A drugs at parties before coercing them into sexual activity, “which a lot of them didn’t want to do”.
He said: “But as things progressed, they were so addicted to the drugs that they knew the only way they could get the drugs was to perform the sexual acts that they were having to get involved in.”
Detective Inspector Scott Carswell
DI Carswell said the gang got the women addicted to drugs in a bid to control them and keep them coming back for more.
He added: “They’ve had no thought as to the impact this is having on the victims. It’s been quite controlled in that they knew what they were doing.”
The gang will be sentenced at a later date.
Police Scotland said the offenders were arrested and charged as part of Operation Recloir, which was launched in late 2021 to target a gang of suspected human traffickers in the Tayside area.
DI Carswell said the inquiry initially focused on brothel-keeping in Dundee and the suspected trafficking of Romanian females into the country.
He added: “However, into the summer of 2022 we started to receive information that the crime group were targeting vulnerable Dundee females, and it looked like they were grooming them and coercing them with gifts of free drugs and other things until it moved on to the victims having to get involved in sexual activity to get the free drugs.
“And unfortunately, this got them addicted to the class A drugs that had been provided.”
DI Carswell said many of the victims identified believed they were the girlfriends of the men involved and did not realise they were being “groomed and used”.
The detective said the women were looking to be “cared for”, noting: “However, I believe that the end goal here was to groom the females and possibly move them into prostitution.”
Read more from Sky News:
Timeline of the grooming gangs scandal
Grooming gangs are ‘in every single part of our country’
DI Carswell said it was important to build up the victims’ “trust and confidence” in order to get them to engage with the force.
He said: “That did take a lot of patience, and it was something that I was passionate about with my inquiry team from the start.”
DI Carswell added work remains ongoing to ensure the women’s welfare and long-term safeguarding.
The detective believes his team identified all the victims, but not everyone wished to engage with the inquiry.
DI Carswell added: “What I would say to them is even at this time if they don’t want to engage with the police, the support’s always there if they need help with anything on the back of this.”
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