Boxing promoter Frank Warren has slammed Gary Lineker by asking the former England footballer « What are you talking about » in a fiery response to the BBC host’s stance on migration in the UK.
Lineker was controversially stood down from his Match of the Day hosting duties last year when he compared the Conservative government’s migration plan to that of Nazi Germany.
The government attempted to stop tens of thousands of migrants from crossing the English Channel each year with a new bill that barred asylum for those who reached the UK by unauthorised means, deporting them « to their home country or a safe third country.”
Lineker was suspended by the Beeb after he described the plan on X (formerly known as Twitter) as “immeasurably cruel” and called the government’s language “not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s.”
And now Warren, a proud Londoner, believes that Lineker was wrong for being outspoken at the policy as he insisted that « the floodgates have opened ».
“And it is changing the fabric of our society, there’s no doubt about that, » he told The Telegraph. « I don’t think you should have to be ashamed about being British. But if you’re a white guy, over 50 years of age, you’re starting to be treated as an outsider, as if you don’t matter.”
When asked if he sees himself as an outsider, the 72-year-old replied: “Not particularly. I’m lucky. I’m in a business where people want free tickets. But I do see the issue elsewhere, and I don’t think it’s right. I didn’t agree with Gary Lineker last year when he put out that tweet about the Conservatives’ asylum policy, saying it was similar to 1930s Germany.
« Seriously, what the f*** are you talking about? Nazi Germany? We’re allowing people in, not taking their property off them. We’re a welcoming country. But we should be welcoming legal immigrants, making them go through the process. This illegal dimension is changing the dynamics around schools, housing, hospitals. It’s totally unacceptable.”
Warren was one of the chiefs who signed off on the Saudi Arabian national anthem being played before Anthony Joshua fell to Daniel Dubois at Wembley. He defended that decision as protocol, considering the Riyadh Season paid for the event, similar to how Eddie Hearn stood by the decision.
“Of course I want to be up there celebrating the British national anthem,” Warren added. “When I was growing up, Britain didn’t have a heavyweight champion of the world. Now we dominate the division. But I do think that we, as a nation, have lost something.
« The Iranians talk about America and other Western countries being the enemies – they don’t even mention us. We’re not there. Then you have Ben Wallace, the former defence secretary, saying that we don’t have the equipment to shoot down the missiles falling on Israel. We’re a little island, but we have stood up against oppression for centuries and still maintained our identity. So, where has our standing gone?”
Warren has been a boxing promoter for over 40 years but played down the challenges of being a public figure in an ever-changing social landscape.
“Nah, not me, » he said. « I couldn’t give a s***. And the people who keep talking about free speech should back themselves more. If you’re on TV or radio, don’t be guarded just because you’re afraid of losing your job.
“It’s wokeism. I guess I’m an old guy now. Look at it another way. Do I want my 10-year-old granddaughter going to Wembley and having to use the same bathrooms as men who are out on the beer? No I don’t.”
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