Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has commented for the first time since the BBC asked Gary Lineker to stand down from hosting Match of the Day. He said he hoped the dispute - following Lineker's tweet about the Government's new asylum policy - could be “resolved in a timely manner”.
But Mr Sunak continued to defend his proposals to permanently ban asylum seekers who arrive in the UK on unauthorised small boats. In a statement, he said: "As Prime Minister, I have to do what I believe is right, respecting that not everyone will always agree. That is why I have been unequivocal in my approach to stopping the boats.
“Gary Lineker was a great footballer and is a talented presenter. I hope that the current situation between Gary Lineker and the BBC can be resolved in a timely manner, but it is rightly a matter for them, not the Government. While that process is ongoing, it is important that we maintain perspective, particularly given the seriousness of the issue at hand.
