Highland minister's defence of BBC Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker on Twitter goes viral
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A HIGHLAND minister has seen his staunch defence of BBC presenter Gary Lineker and plea to "love your neighbour" go viral.
Inverness-based Rev James Bissett gave his fulsome support to the TV presenter following Lineker's much-discussed criticism of UK government policy over refugees.
Lineker, who argued that "language" used by some in government to describe refugees was "not dissimilar to that used by Germany in the 30s", was temporarily suspended from his presenting role on Match of Day after the government was critical.
Read more: BBC apologises after Gary Lineker reinstated as presenter following tweet row
However, this sparked a furious reaction from colleagues at the BBC and the sporting world in general, with co-presenters and even current Premier League footballers swooping to Lineker's defence.
After raising the events at a service in the city's Old High St Stephen's Church at the weekend, Rev Bissett followed it up with a powerful post on Twitter insisting that Lineker was right because "staying quiet in the face of evil is wrong".
The tweet said: "I stand by every word in Gary Lineker's tweet. If you want me fired, please send you complaints to Old High St Stephen's Church in Inverness.
"Staying quiet in the face of evil is wrong. You can't love you neighbour and support the policies of this government."
The BBC's bosses have since reversed their decision after a mass walk-out of presenters seriously curtailed the broadcaster's TV output over the weekend.
The BBC has also apologised to Lineker.
