Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has spoken out after Gary Lineker was dropped from his role on Match of the Day. The row broke out earlier this week after the former England striker took to social media to hit out at Government plans to stop small boats making the journey to Britain.
The Illegal Migration Bill would remove immigrants entering the country via such routes and ban them from applying for asylum for life. On Tuesday, Lineker tweeted: "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?"
Yesterday the BBC said it regarded his tweet as a 'breach of our guidelines' and that Lineker would 'step back' from presenting the BBC's flagship football show 'until we’ve got an agreed and clear position on his use of social media'. Now the Prime Minister has had his say on the issue, defending the policy and describing it as 'compassionate' but adding that Lineker's position is a 'matter for them, not the Government'.
