Gary Lineker defended by Labor’s shadow communities secretary over ‘Nazi’ tweet

Labor leader Lisa Nandy has claimed that Gary Lineker was not referring to the Nazis in his controversial tweets about immigrants.

The 62-year-old Match Of The Day presenter recently plunged the BBC into a civil war between its talent and management over a row over impartiality.

Commenting on the government’s new illegal immigration bill, Lineker described the Small Boats Declaration as “an immeasurably harsh policy directed at the most vulnerable people with language not unlike that used by Germany in the 1930s”.

However, Mrs Nandy – the shadow Secretary of State for Settlement, Housing and Communities – argued that he was not likening the government to the Nazis.

She said: “What people say Gary Lineker is very different from what Gary Lineker said in reality.” Sky News.

Shadow Foreign Secretary Lisa Nandy speaks at the annual Labor Party conference in Liverpool

Gary Lineker at the Etihad Stadium yesterday as he returned to television for the first time since his impartiality row with the BBC over controversial immigrant tweets.

Demonstrators wear Gary Lineker masks during an anti-racism protest in Glasgow’s George Square

The government was careful to say that he was likening this to the Nazis, and he wasn’t–and I would have absolutely condemned it if he had done it–I don’t think he would have done it.

“What he was referring to was a horrific comparison to an environment where people don’t have the freedom to challenge this kind of language and behavior.”

Nandy’s views differed from those of her Labor colleagues.

Shadow prosecutor Emily Thornberry insisted she would not use the same words as Lineker and called it “really very unfortunate”.

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper also stated that she did not believe what Lineker said was true.

The former English footballer was back on our screens yesterday to present the FA Cup quarter-final match between Manchester City and Burnley at the Etihad Stadium.

However, Mark Chapman provided Match of the Day highlights on Saturday night.

Lineker was also recently seen partying with celebs such as Paloma Faith and Mary Charteris at the launch of a new private members club amid the scandal surrounding his controversial tweets.

Early Saturday morning, protesters wore Lineker masks at a pro-refugee rally in Glasgow.

Crowds descended on the Scottish city carrying signs reading “Refugees Welcome” and “Stop Rwanda,” a reference to Soila Braverman’s policy of deporting people arriving in the UK illegally in small boats to the African country.

Yesterday, the Home Secretary doubled down on the government’s controversial immigration policy by making her first visit to Rwanda since taking over as Cabinet.

Ms Braverman said the plan would “serve as a strong deterrent against dangerous and illegal travel”.

The minister also hit back at critics of the deal, saying Rwanda could hold “several thousand” migrants – although none have yet been transferred.