Sky Sports make decision on taking Gary Neville off air after controversial flag rant

Sky Sports have decided Gary Neville will not be taken off air after his online rant about ‘angry middle-aged white men’, according to reports.

The football pundit posted a controversial political video on social media over the weekend following last week’s synagogue attack in Manchester.

In the clip, Neville explains how he ‘took down’ a British flag and hit out at ‘disgusting’ division ‘mainly created’ by frustrated middle-aged white men.

The former Manchester United defender’s video split opinion, with some people left outraged and threatening to cancel their Sky subscriptions.

But Neville is not set to face any action from Sky – the Daily Mail report – despite the fact that he may have breached the broadcaster’s guidelines.

‘Talent and contributors should be aware that social media communities are public forums and should not undertake activity that brings either the programme or Sky into disrepute,’ Sky’s guidelines currently read.

What has caused the controversy?

The video Neville posted on social media over the weekend has been highly controversial.

‘Seeing the news last night and the news this morning dominated by the horrific attacks within the Jewish community, just a mile from here,’ Neville said in the clip about the synagogue attack in Manchester.

Neville then spoke about the ‘Operation Raise the Colours’ movement, co-founded by Andrew Currien, an ally of Tommy Robinson.

Robinson has alleged links to the English Defence League (EDL) and Britain First.

The ‘Operation Raise the Colours’ campaign accepted a donation of flags from Britain First – which has denied accusations that it is a far-right and fascist organisation.

‘When I was driving to Salford City last night, going down Littleton Road, I’ve seen probably 50 or 60 Union Jack flags,’ Neville added.

‘And on the way back I went down the parallel road, Bury New Road, which has got the Jewish community right at its heart and they’re out on the streets, defiant, not hiding or in fear.

‘Funnily enough on one of my development sites last week there was a Union Jack flag put up and I took it down instantly.’

Neville continued: ‘I just kept thinking as I was driving home last night that we’re all being turned on each other and the division that’s being created is absolutely disgusting.

‘Mainly created by angry, middle-aged white man, who know exactly what they’re doing.’

How have people reacted to Gary Neville’s video?

It’s important to note that not everyone disagreed with what Neville said in the video – with some praising the former footballer for standing up against values and ideas they consider to be right-wing or even far-right.

Neville has made no secret of the fact that he considers himself to be left-wing and is a supporter of the Labour Party.

But others have been left outraged, with former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan labelling Neville a ‘champagne socialist’ and a ‘coward’.

‘I think it’s astonishing in the wake of an Islamist terror attack that he decides to have a go at middle-aged white men,’ Jordan said on talkSPORT.

‘Maybe the middle-aged white men are the ones who worked on minimum wage inside his hotel, I don’t know. I think he’s a champagne socialist and a coward. It’s a dreadful thing to have said.’

Jordan continued: ‘I think the real issue is about radical Islamist extremism and he doesn’t have the balls to call it out for what it is, rather than suggest that challenging our country about what’s happening, he’s insulated from these things.

‘He lives in a very rarified world where his money and privilege has allowed him to live in a gated environment, not have to worry about NHS appointments, doesn’t have to worry about people being attacked in the streets by immigrants that shouldn’t be here in the first place.

‘He doesn’t have to worry about these things, so he has the ability to sit there and observe in such a way that insulates himself from it.

‘I think it’s an appalling stance to have taken.’