Gary Lineker Gets The Boot From BBC For Breaching Impartiality Guidelines Over Criticism Of U.K Government's Asylum Policies

English football legend Gary Lineker was suspended from the BBC for breaching impartiality guidelines over his criticism of the U.K. government's asylum policies.

Lineker is BBC's highest-paid presenter and has hosted the channel's flagship football show, Match of the Day, since 1999.

The BBC said it considered Lineker's "recent social media activity to be a breach of our guidelines".

It added he should "keep well away from taking sides on party political issues or political controversies".

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.

"When it comes to leading our football and sports coverage, Gary is second to none." the statement added.

"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."

Expressing solidarity with Lineker, Ian Wright and Alan Shearer, the co-presenters of the football show, announced that they would not be turning up to present Saturday's edition. However, the BBC went ahead with the Premier League highlights programme without any hosts or studio analysis.

Row over Lineker's criticism of the government's plan to tackle immigration migration

The state-funded broadcaster's decision comes amid criticism the outspoken former English striker faced from a section of Tory MPs and Conservative media.

Lineker stoked a controversy after he responded to a video message by the home secretary, Suella Braverman, outlining the ruling government's plans to ban people arriving in the U.K. illegally from ever claiming asylum.

Lineker termed 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".

Braverman hit out at Lineker's tweet, saying it "diminishes the unspeakable tragedy" of the Holocaust. She said that the Nazi comparison was "lazy and unhelpful" and added her family "feel very keenly the impact of the Holocaust" as her husband is Jewish.

"Gary Lineker is paid for by the British taxpayer and it is disappointing that he is so far out of step with the British public." immigration minister Robert Jenrick said.

Speaking in the Commons, Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer said Lineker's remark was "disappointing and inappropriate" and referenced her grandmother, who escaped Nazi Germany.

Lineker has frequently tweeted about refugees and immigration policy where he has voiced support for a liberal approach to border controls, and he also expressed support for a second EU referendum.

Lineker is England’s fourth-highest goal scorer behind Harry Kane, Wayne Rooney and Bobby Charlton, and received the Golden Boot for being the top scorer in the 1986 Fifa World Cup.