BBC decision on Lineker a massive own goal
The BBC should reinstate Gary Lineker, say the Scottish Greens. This follows the host being removed from Match of the Day after his critical comments about the brutal and racist anti-refugee policies announced this week by the Home Secretary.
The Scottish Greens sports spokesperson, Gillian Mackay MSP, said:
"This has been a massive own goal by the BBC and is a clear attack on free speech.”
“Gary Linker was voicing a sentiment that millions of people rightly share about a racist government policy that will have a devastating impact on some of the world's most vulnerable people.
“It is the appalling treatment of refugees that we should be talking about, not the Tweets of a TV host.
"The message this sends is terrible. Countless BBC hosts have made their views on political issues clear on a whole range of issues with no such sanction.
"It is particularly alarming that this is coming at a time when the Corporation is also being accused of censoring David Attenborough’s film about the scale of the environmental crisis.
“BBC management has clearly lost the dressing room on this one. They should reinstate Linker immediately and focus their scrutiny on this cruel and, incompetent Tory government.”