Grant Shapps warns Gary Lineker to ‘stick to football’ after Rwanda plan criticism

Defence secretary Grant Shapps warned Gary Linker to “stick to football” after the Match of the Day host criticised the government’s Rwnda policy.

Former England footballer Lineker is among a group of celebrities who have signed a letter calling for the Government to scrap its Rwanda scheme and for political leaders to come up with a “fair new plan for refugees”.

The high-profile signatories, which also include Succession star Brian Cox, branded Britain’s refugee system “ever-more uncaring, chaotic and costly”, and said asylum policies are not working.

Football pundit Lineker, 63, has previously been at the centre of a BBC impartiality row after he voiced criticism of a Government Bill on the treatment of asylum seekers earlier this year.