Gary Lineker has been slammed by presenter and broadcaster Roger Bolton, after continuing to air his political views on social media.
Despite new guidelines introduced by the broadcaster, the Match of the Day presenter has come under fire once again after his latest posts on X, formerly Twitter.
Lineker posted on the social media platform that he has signed an open letter calling for the Government to scrap their Rwanda policy.
The letter called on Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s government to come up with a “fair new plan” for refugees.
Roger Bolton says Gary Lineker ‘won’t shut up’
GB News
The broadcaster’s incoming chairman, Samir Shah, told MPs on the Culture Media and Sport Committee that Lineker’s posts “seem to breach” the new guidelines given to presenters.
Dr Shah said: “As far as I am aware, the signing of the letter did not breach those guidelines.”
However, he added: “The more recent tweet where Mr Lineker identified two politicians does on the face of it seem to breach those particular guidelines.
“I’m not sure how egregious it is but it does. I would imagine the BBC is now looking at that and considering its response.”
Reacting to the latest posts by Lineker, Bolton told GB News: “The BBC’s own media editor, when these latest guidelines were introduced, said they were as clear as mud.
“There’s a question whether you think they cross the guidelines and whether they can be proven clearly in a legal context to have done so. But the incoming chairman, Shah, did say it’s a question of how egregious it is.
“But the plain fact is if you’re focused on the future of the BBC, like the Director General, you’re faced with the pressures you’ve got under the cuts that have just been made, effectively large cuts in BBC spending. With all the other problems you’re facing like the Middle East, the last thing in the world you want is this story running and running and running.
“And if Gary, had really put the BBC and public service broadcasting first, he would have shut up. But he clearly won’t. He believes these things genuinely. He’s a genuine guy, but this is crazy.”
Gary Lineker has repeatedly used his social media platforms to make political statements
PA
Former BBC Correspondent Michael Cole also reacted to the latest postings by Lineker, and called on the BBC to take action and “get a grip”.
Cole stated: “It has adopted a completely craven posture in the face of Mr. Lineker, now and before. Quite clearly, he has transcended the guidelines by making personal attacks on MPs.
“And it’s more than that. He is the highest paid person at the BBC, on the screen or anywhere else, and that comes with it a responsibility to act in a way that does not compromise the BBC’s political neutrality because without that it’s reasons for being cease to exist.”
Cole continued: “It’s quite abject the way the BBC has behaved in this situation. They should take action. They made Gary Lineker.
“He was a loquacious footballer, they made him into a star. In the old days when Roger was there, they used to make stars.”
