Tory MP Jonathan Gullis challenges ‘virtue-signalling’ Gary Lineker to stand against him at next election | Politics News
The row comes after the politician criticised Lineker final month on social media for signing an open letter against the Rwanda invoice, claiming it breached the BBC’s new impartiality guidelines.
A Tory MP has thrown down the gauntlet to former footballer Gary Lineker, telling him to stand at the next election amid an ongoing feud with the BBC presenter.
Jonathan Gullis criticised Lineker final month on social media for signing an open letter against the Rwanda invoice, claiming it breached the BBC’s new impartiality guidelines.
Howerver, the Match Of The Day star hit again on X, saying the MP had not learn the brand new social media tips, suggesting he could not learn.
Asked in regards to the row on Sky News, Mr Gullis mentioned: “Gary’s constantly trying to get lots of likes on Twitter, or X as it’s now called… I think Gary needs to spend less time virtue-signalling and more time talking about football, which he’s actually very good at.”
He mentioned he would “absolutely” beat Lineker at an election in his constituency of Stoke-on-Trent North, including: “Let the public decide.”
Mr Gullis has been an MP for the constituency since 12 December 2019, unseating Labour’s Ruth Smeeth.
He defined he wrote to the BBC director-general Tim Davie to complain about Lineker as a result of the incoming chair of the BBC recommended his feedback could have been in breach of the rules.
Lineker, a staunch critic of the federal government’s asylum seeker coverage, was suspended from presenting Match Of The Day in March, final 12 months, after evaluating the language used within the plan with 1930s Germany.
He returned to internet hosting duties after Mr Davie apologised and mentioned an impartial assessment had been launched trying into the company’s social media tips, notably for freelancers like Lineker.
Several of the TV star’s co-presenters had additionally stood down from the present in solidarity.
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But Mr Gullis criticised the company’s response, saying: “The director-general seems to have just done a whitewash, so clearly Gary Lineker either runs the BBC or the director-general is too scared to actually stand up to him.”
He mentioned the BBC’s identify had been “dragged through the mud” by Lineker, claiming he’s held to a special commonplace than much less well-known presenters.
Lineker backed the broadcaster’s new guidelines in September, which say high-profile presenters ought to have the opportunity to categorical their views on political points offering they didn’t lengthen to activism.
BBC information presenters, nevertheless, are topic to stricter impartiality tips.
