Gary Neville has sparked controversy by claiming “angry middle-aged white men” are dividing the nation by raising Union flags.
The former Man United defender, who earns around £1.1million a year as a Sky Sports pundit, spoke out just a day after two men were killed during a terror attack at a synagogue in Crumpsall, Greater Manchester.
Neville, who owns Salford City FC, took to Linkedin to share his views on what he described as “horrible scenes”.
But the video quickly turned into a rant about the widespread flying of Union and St George’s Cross flags.
He said: “Seeing the news last night and the news this morning dominated by the horrific attacks within the Jewish community, just a mile from here.
“When I was driving to Salford City last night, going down Littleton Road, I seen probably 50 or 60 Union Jack flags. 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.
“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 men, who know exactly what they’re doing.
“Funnily enough on one of my development sites last week there was a Union Jack flag put up and I took it down instantly.”
A fierce debate around patriotism has raged since Union and St George’s Cross flags started to appear in communities across the UK over the summer.
On online campaign called Operation Raise the Colours has become contentious with several local councils removing them from local authority property.
Some say the flags are simple displays of pride and patriotism – while others say they it is a divisive campaign driven by xenophobia directed towards migrants.
Neville claimed putting up Union flags is clearly “sending a message to everybody that there is something you don’t like” – arguing it is being used in a “negative fashion".
“The Union Jack flag being used in a negative fashion is not right and I’m a proud supporter of England, of Great Britain, of our country and will champion it anywhere in the world as one of the greatest places to live.
“But I think we need to check ourselves, check ourselves and start to think about bringing ourselves back to a neutral point because we’re being pulled right and left and we don’t need to be pulled right and left at all.
“I’ve played in a football team with a group of people from Manchester, a group of people from Ireland, Wales, Scotland. But also I’ve played with people from Africa, people from Asia, people from America, people from Europe – and we were a beautiful team, united as one.
“Brexit has had a devastating effect on this country and the messaging is getting dangerous, extremely dangerous. All these idiots that are out there spreading hate speech in any form and abuse in any form, we must stop promoting them.
“It needs to stop now and get back to a country of love, of peace, of harmony and become a team again."
His comments sparked an angry backlash from some online.
One football fan threatening to cancel his Sky subscription unless Neville was sacked.
“Really rate you as a pundit but Jesus Christ on a bike how the hell can you blame the likes of me for the sickening attack that was carried out by a terrorist,” they wrote on X.
Reform UK MP Lee Anderson said the Sky Sports pundit was “completely out of touch”.
“I believe in free speech but on this occasion just shut up,” he said.
Reform UK Mayor of Greater Lincolnshire Dame Andrea Jenkyns said Neville was “Gary Lineker Mark Two”.
“The sneering by Gary Neville, he was happy for the ‘white men’ to pay his wages and buy his merchandise,” she wrote.
However Neville has received the backing of faith and communities minister Miatta Fahnbulleh, who hit out at people "trying to stoke tension".
Asked if Neville had a point, Ms Fahnbulleh said: "I think he's really right, that there are people who are trying to divide us at the moment."
She told ITV's Good Morning Britain: "We've seen this playbook before. Life is really tough for people across our communities.
"I spent a lot of time going around our communities, talking to people. People are ground down.
"We've had a decade-and-a-half in which living standards haven't budged and people have seen their communities held down.
"And you will get people trying to stoke division, trying to blame others, trying to stoke tension."
Neville's comments followed the attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue which was carried out by Jihad Al-Shamie.
Put to her that the attack was not carried out by an "angry, middle-aged white man", Ms Fahbulleh said: "We are seeing a division, and it's not concentrated in any particular group.
"We're seeing it across all communities, but the vast majority of people are decent, tolerant, welcoming people that do not want this in their name.
"And the thing that we have to do as a Government is absolutely target those that are deliberately stoking division, tension and hatred, and root that out.
"And at the same time, we've got to do the job of bridging our communities."
