10 March 2023 , 18:44
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Labour has condemned the BBC’s “cowardly” decision to take Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker off air amid a row over social media posts.
It comes after the broadcaster confirmed the 62-year-old star would step back from the programme - prompting widespread criticism.
Earlier the week Lineker branded the Government’s Illegal Migration Bill “an immeasurably cruel policy directed at the most vulnerable people in language that is not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the '30s”.
The comments led to criticism from Tory MPs and Cabinet ministers, including the Home Secretary Suella Braverman.
But after the broadcaster’s move on Friday, a Labour source said: “The BBC ’s cowardly decision to take Gary Linker off air is an assault on free speech in the face of political pressure.”
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They added: “Tory politicians lobbying to get people sacked for disagreeing with Government policies should be laughed at, not pandered to."
The Home Secretary had criticised Lineker (Getty Images)“The BBC should rethink their decision.”
But the ex-Tory Culture Secretary said the decision to stand Lineker down from hosting duties was “inevitable”.
Sir John Whittingdale told BBC Radio 4’s PM programme: "I think it was inevitable.
"The problem is that Gary Lineker has made it clear that he wants to go on tweeting his views.
"And he's of course entitled to hold his views, but the problem is that he is also a very highly - indeed the highest paid - person working for the BBC and is closely associated with the BBC.
The Mirror has launched a petition to have Gary Lineker reinstated at the BBC and as the host of Match of the Day. Sign it here.
"And I'm afraid those two things are not compatible."
A BBC spokesperson said: "The BBC has been in extensive discussions with Gary and his team in recent days. We have said that we consider his recent social media activity to be a breach of our guidelines.
"The BBC has decided that he will step back from presenting Match Of The Day until we've got an agreed and clear position on his use of social media.
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"When it comes to leading our football and sports coverage, Gary is second to none.
"We have never said that Gary should be an opinion-free zone, or that he can't have a view on issues that matter to him, but we have said that he should keep well away from taking sides on party political issues or political controversies."
It is not yet clear who will stand in for him during Saturday's edition of Match Of The Day.