BBC likely to look into Lineker jibes at Tories, says candidate for chair

The BBC is likely to be "looking into" Gary Lineker's criticism of Conservative politicians, which appear to breach the BBC's social media guidelines, the government's proposed new chair of the corporation said.

- Alexandra Topping

Samir Shah, the proposed chair, said he did not think it was "helpful" that the Match of the Day presenter had signed a letter calling on political leaders to produce a "fair new plan for refugees" and scrap its Rwanda scheme, but he did not see that as a breach of the rules.

Speaking to MPs at a pre-appointment hearing yesterday, Shah said: "I don't think it was very helpful either for Gary Lineker or the BBC or the cause he supports because it becomes a story about Gary Lineker and the BBC." Conservative MPs reacted angrily to Lineker's support for a letter published on the website of the campaign coalition Together With Refugees before a vote on the safety of Rwanda bill, which narrowly avoided defeat in the Commons on Tuesday evening. The legislation is designed to overcome concerns raised by the supreme court, which ruled last month that the Rwanda policy violated domestic and international law.