Britain’s Conservative government has reiterated that it is up to the BBC to resolve the standoff with former footballer Gary Lineker, who has had his contract as a presenter canceled on the public broadcaster, following criticizing the executive’s immigration plan on Twitter.
“It is not up to him” to decide whether Lineker breached the station’s impartiality rules, which are somewhat different for news staff and other venues, Economics Secretary Jeremy Hunt said in an interview on Sky News.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in a statement that he understood that “not everyone will agree” with his controversial plan to deny asylum to migrants who arrive irregularly in the UK in small boats, but that in this case it was “a matter” of the public channel and its provider.
Labor economics spokeswoman Rachel Reeves told Sky News that Lineker’s temporary sacking was “a disproportionate measure” and accused Conservative MPs and ministers of “pressure” the BBC to force it out.
The former Barcelona player’s comment on his “Match of the Day” football program, which he has been presenting since 1999, sparked a wave of solidarity among his colleagues, which led to changes in all sports programs broadcast by the public channel at the weekend.
BBC Director-General Tim Davie apologized for the turmoil, but ruled out a resignation and hoped he might reach an agreement over the use of social networks that would allow Lineker to return to the position he had previously spoken through on controversial issues in the BBC. United kingdom.
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