Labour backs Gary Lineker’s right to attack Sunak’s migrant plan: ‘People should say what they feel’

Yvette Cooper opposes BBC football star’s ‘Nazi’ jibe – but says he should be allowed to speak out

The Labour leadership has defended BBC presenter Gary Lineker after he compared Rishi Sunak’s planned crackdown on migrants arriving by small boats to Nazi Germany.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said she disagreed with the Match of the Day host’s comments – but said he was entitled to speak out.

Asked on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme if Mr Lineker was “wrong” to compare the measures to those used in Nazi Germany Ms Cooper said: “I don’t agree with that.”