Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has commented for the first time since the BBC asked Gary Lineker to stand down from hosting Match of the Day. He said he hoped the dispute - following Lineker's tweet about the Government's new asylum policy - could be “resolved in a timely manner”.
But Mr Sunak continued to defend his proposals to permanently ban asylum seekers who arrive in the UK on unauthorised small boats. In a statement, he said: "As Prime Minister, I have to do what I believe is right, respecting that not everyone will always agree. That is why I have been unequivocal in my approach to stopping the boats.
“Gary Lineker was a great footballer and is a talented presenter. I hope that the current situation between Gary Lineker and the BBC can be resolved in a timely manner, but it is rightly a matter for them, not the Government. While that process is ongoing, it is important that we maintain perspective, particularly given the seriousness of the issue at hand.
“Forty-five thousand people crossed the channel illegally last year, many of whom have been exploited or trafficked by criminal gangs, putting their lives in danger. We need to break this cycle of misery once and for all and the policy we set out this week I believe aims to do just that.
“It is not only the fair and moral thing to do, it is also the compassionate thing to do. There are no easy answers to solving this problem, but I believe leadership is about taking the tough decisions to fix problems. I know not everyone will always agree, but I do believe this is fair and right.”
The controversy began when Lineker branded the Government’s plans to tackle small boat crossings in the Channel as “immeasurably cruel”. He also compared the language used to launch the policy with 1930s Germany.
