Gary Lineker should have the right to express his views

Well done Gary Lineker for speaking out against the government’s immigration policy. Also to his fellow presenters for coming out to support him. I hope more will follow.

He has the right to express his opinions. He does not claim these are BBC opinions. But this government finds it hard to take criticism. If we are not with them, we are against them. Nowadays, there seems to be no in-between.

Our country has a long history of giving refuge to those fleeing home for a better safer life. This might not always have been popular at the time, and yes some might not have deserved it. But the vast majority have made a contribution.

John R Chappell

Huddersfield

The Tory party’s hold over the press can claim another scalp with Gary Lineker not presenting Match of the Day.

It also managed to refocus attention from the substantive issue to the sideshow of a BBC sports presenter expressing a personal view.

No one cared when Alan Sugar, another high-profile presenter, aired his support for Boris Johnson and the Tory party, but they wouldn’t, would they? Didn’t we just hear about another potential conflict of interest with the chair of the BBC himself?

Peter Smith-Cullen Dunston

Norfolk

We tune in to Match of the Day to watch football and hear the comments of pundits such as Gary Lineker.

The BBC could demand that there is to be no discussion of politics in that programme and that programme only! It should not, after all, be a vehicle for political views.

Any other views Gary Lineker may have and may make elsewhere are up to him. To prevent him doing that is a restriction on his basic freedom of speech.

It sems clear to me that in his tweet Gary Lineker was comparing the language used in the two situations, and not the consequences that occurred in Germany, which are unparalleled.

Bravo Ian Wright, solidarity.

Robert Murray

Nottingham

It is apparent from Gary Lineker’s carefully worded statement about the plight of refugees crossing the Channel that, far from political point scoring, he is expressing a genuine humanitarian concern.

Contrast this with the home secretary’s ill-considered rant about the left-wing bias of the civil service. How long till she is asked to “step back” from her role?

Hugh Protherough

Hook Norton, Oxfordshire

The BBC’s suspension of Gary Lineker and the alleged banning of one of the new David Attenborough films are deeply worrying.

Traditionally the corporation has been seen as a bastion of free speech. Inevitably this now comes into question.

Andrew McLuskey

Address Supplied

Regarding John Rentoul's recent piece about Scottish independence, the only logical way forward to me is a proper federal structure for the UK.

Scotland has a parliament; Wales an assembly; Northern Ireland has its own approach; but England just has Westminster. Even things up and give English people representation in a much smaller federation that properly embraces all the constituent parts.

The rest of the world mixes up “England” and “the UK” all the time. But no wonder they’re confused – so are we.

Mark Ogilvie

Horncastle, Lincolnshire