A TORY MP has complained that the BBC’s coverage of the World Cup has been too "woke".
The tournament in Qatar has been mired in controversy over the host nation’s human rights record, treatment of LGBT+ people and the environmental impact of carbon emissions from the construction of the stadiums.
As a result, the BBC has looked to highlight these issues in its coverage.
And Julian Knight, member for Solihull, has now complained that viewers are being "lectured to".
Speaking with GB News, he said: “It's boring, that’s the problem with it. Viewers, they've been lectured to, aren't they?
“I mean, one that got my goat and I think got some of my constituent's goats was the other day when they broke up half-time coverage to talk about the environment and climate change, etc.
“Obviously, a very serious issue but I watch the news for that - I don't watch the football. And it was a very strange three-minute section that was presented with all these sorts of facts, supposed facts …
“It was a very strange sort of one-sided, entirely sort of out of kilter. And really, frankly, I think people just want the BBC to get on with showing the football rather than, frankly, giving them a lecture.”
Presenter Gary Lineker was singled out by Knight, who said the former England striker “writes his own rules”.
He added: “When the director general of the BBC said that he needed to pull his horns and he just made fun of him.
“How much carbon offsetting is sort of done by the BBC for all the hot air emitting from Gary Lineker, on political issues?
“He loves to venture off on all sorts of areas often [from a ] very … ill-informed, woke viewpoint, when actually, the truth of the matter is that he's paid to present football matches and maybe perhaps here, so maybe he and some of his colleagues should just stick to it.”
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The BBC has received more than 1500 complaints about its coverage of the tournament since it kicked off last Sunday.
A statement from the BBC read: “While we have a long history of bringing major international football tournaments to audiences, including of course, all the action on the pitch, we also have a proven record of addressing topical issues as part of our coverage, and this World Cup is no different.”
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