“No better than China and North Korea,” Piers Morgan slams free speech in UK over Gary Lineker controversy

Gary Lineker has been all over the news after his comments regarding the Government's latest asylum bill.


“No better than China and North Korea,” Piers Morgan slams free speech in UK over Gary Lineker controversy

Piers Morgan added to the recent Gary Lineker and BBC controversy, saying England was “no better than totalitarian regimes like China & North Korea.”  After a disagreement with the BBC over comments he made criticising the government’s new asylum policy, Lineker was barred from hosting Match of the Day.

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The BBC said it considered Lineker’s “recent social media activity to be a breach of our guidelines.” The statement added that he should “keep well away from taking sides on party political issues or political controversies”.

The BBC asked Lineker to step back after “extensive discussions with Gary and his team in recent days”. It “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”, the statement said. It continued: “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.”

As a result of the change, Saturday’s Match of the Day will be broadcast without presenters or pundits, as Lineker’s colleagues have ruled themselves out. First, Ian Wright said he would not participate in “solidarity.” Alan Shearer, another show presenter, joined Ian. Jermaine Jenas, Micah Richards, and Alex Scott tweeted that they would not appear on the show.

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The BBC said the program would instead “focus on match action without studio presentation or punditry.” Journalist Piers Morgan called the decision “insane.” Lineker works as a freelancer for the BBC.

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Gary Lineker calls out the English Government

Gary Lineker
Gary Lineker captured by photographers. (credits: The Independent)

Home Secretary Suella Braverman outlined the government’s plans to bar people arriving in the UK illegally from ever claiming asylum. They did this to address an increase in the number of people crossing the Channel in small boats

Lineker reacted to it on Twitter calling it 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 ex-footballer has previously housed asylum seekers and publicly advocated for better refugee rights and protections. He has also criticised successive Conservative governments on issues such as Brexit.

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Prime Minister Rishi Sunak defended the proposals. He said that preventing small boats from arriving is a “priority” for the British people. Meanwhile, many opposition MPs and charities vehemently oppose the government’s proposals.

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