Newsreader Simon McCoy has said that BBC colleague Gary Lineker is ‘abusing his position’ after he called Boris Johnson a liar in a tweet.
Match Of The Day host Lineker condemned the Prime Minister, asking him to ‘stop lying’ after Johnson stood by his adviser, Dominic Cummings.
The government aide is accused of breaking his own lockdown rules while the rest of the country sacrificed their own rights to see family and friends, after he drove 260 miles from to his parents’ home in Durham.
After last night’s coronavirus briefing, sport journalist Lineker called PM Boris Johnson out on Twitter.
During the daily press conference, which was led by Johnson, Lineker wrote: “Please. Stop. Lying.”
Please. Stop. Lying.
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) May 24, 2020
Fellow BBC employee, McCoy called him out for breaking impartiality rules, replying: “Please. Stop. If you speak for yourself – write a letter. If you’re speaking for BT Sport – up to you.
“But if you are speaking with your BBC hat on – you are abusing a position which puts BBC journalists in an impossible position.”
Read more: Piers Morgan declares he will break lockdown rules unless Dominic Cummings is fired today
But Lineker refused to backtrack, instead deciding to double down on his comments, responding to tell McCoy that he’d done nothing wrong.
He replied: “Check the rules. That only applies to those who work in news or current affairs. I speak for me. No one else. Good day.”
He’s not the only TV presenter to lash out at the government following the government’s backing of top aide Cummings, after he apparently broke his own lockdown restrictions.
Piers had his say
Good Morning Britain’s Piers Morgan has declared he too will break lockdown rules unless a drastic measure is taken.
Addressing his 7.5 million Twitter followers yesterday, Piers said that Boris Johnson should fire Dominic Cummings.
The GMB star, 55, tweeted: “If Boris doesn’t fire Cummings today, then I will deem the lockdown over and drive down to see my parents (from a 2m distance) for the first time in 12 weeks.
“I’m not having one rule for these clowns and another for the rest of us.”
If Boris doesn’t fire Cummings today, then I will deem the Lockdown over & drive down to see my parents (from a 2m distance) for the first time in 12 weeks. I’m not having one rule for these clowns & another for the rest of us. pic.twitter.com/EMGb9ETTVf
— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) May 23, 2020
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