Gary Lineker pulled from BBC MOTD over tweet on migration

Gary Lineker, a former England captain and the face of the BBC's football coverage, has been told to step back from presenting its flagship Match of the Day programme following a row over his criticism of the government's migration policy, the corporation said on Friday.

Lineker was told there has to be an agreed position on his use of social media before he can return, the BBC said on Friday.

The row overshadowed a migration deal struck between British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and French President Emmanuel Macron, with the BBC accused of bowing to political pressure.

"Gary Lineker off air is an assault on free speech in the face of political pressure," the opposition Labour party said, calling for the BBC to re-think its decision.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon called the BBC's move "indefensible."

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport said: "Individual cases are a matter for the BBC."

On Tuesday, Britain announced details of a new law which would see migrants arriving in small boats across the Channel prevented from claiming asylum and deported either back to their homeland or to so-called safe third countries.

It drew criticism from opposition parties, charities and the U.N.'s refugee agency for its impact on genuine refugees.

Lineker, who has previously hosted refugees in his home, retweeted a post featuring a video of interior minister Suella Braverman talking about the new law, with the comment "Good heavens, this is beyond awful."

When challenged by a respondent, he said: "There is no huge influx. We take far fewer refugees than other major European countries. 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?"

He faced a backlash to his comments, which were criticised by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's spokeswoman as "not acceptable" and "disappointing", but said he would "continue to try and speak up for those poor souls that have no voice."

The BBC said it had been in talks with Lineker and his team in recent days and decided that he would step back from presenting Match of the Day (MOTD) programme "until we've got an agreed and clear position on his use of social media."

The Bectu union, which represents thousands of BBC workers, said the corporation's move was "deeply concerning".

After four of the show's regular pundits, former England players Ian Wright, Alan Shearer, Jermaine Jenas and Micah Richards said they did not wish to appear on the programme without Lineker, the BBC said Saturday's edition would "focus on match action without studio presentation or punditry."

All six MOTD commentators due to appear on Saturday's show later tweeted a joint statement saying that they had also pulled out from Saturday's broadcast, leaving BBC management reliant on World Feed commentary.

Lineker has hosted MOTD for over 20 years and the charismatic 62-year-old has never been afraid to voice his opinions about political issues.

The BBC said it considered Lineker's recent social media activity to be a breach of its guidelines.

"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 added.

The BBC, funded by what is in effect a £159 ($192) annual "license fee" tax on all television-watching households, has a central presence in British cultural life. It says it is committed to being politically impartial.

Lineker, who during his career played for clubs including his home town Leicester City, Everton, Tottenham Hotspur and Spanish giants Barcelona, is the BBC's highest paid personality, earning more than £1.3 million in 2021/22.

Last year the BBC's complaints unit ruled Lineker had failed to meet editorial standards on impartiality when he sent a tweet asking whether the governing Conservative Party would give back money from Russian donors.

BBC Chair Richard Sharp is under pressure for failing to declare his involvement in facilitating a loan for former Prime Minister Boris Johnson shortly before he was appointed to the role. His appointment, made on the recommendation of the government, is now being reviewed by Britain's public appointments watchdog.