Gary Neville will face no disciplinary action from Sky following his controversial remarks about the Union Flag, in which he claimed it had been co-opted by “angry middle-aged white men” and revealed that he had personally removed one from a building site he owns.
The Sky Sports pundit and former England footballer made the comments in a three-minute video posted on LinkedIn in the aftermath of last Thursday’s terrorist attack near a Manchester synagogue, prompting a wave of criticism from politicians and viewers alike.
In the video, Neville lamented what he described as the “division” in British society and suggested that the flag had been weaponised in recent years.
“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,” he said.
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“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.”
Neville went on to claim that Brexit had had a “devastating effect” on the country’s sense of unity and that the flag’s recent use “in a negative fashion” was symptomatic of a wider cultural rift.
Gary Neville took aim at citizens putting up Union Jacks across the United Kingdom
| RAISE THE COLOURSHis remarks quickly went viral, with critics accused him of hypocrisy and disrespect toward the symbol of the nation he once captained on the football pitch.
However, according to the Telegraph, Sky Sports won't be punishing the former Manchester United and England defender.
Among his most vocal detractors were Reform UK figures Dame Andrea Jenkyns and MP Lee Anderson, both of whom accused Neville of looking down on the people who had once cheered him as a player.
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Lee Anderson took aim at Gary Neville on social media following his controversial comments
| GB NEWS“The sneering by Gary Neville — he was happy for the ‘white men’ to pay his wages and buy his merchandise! He is Gary Lineker Mark Two,” Jenkyns wrote on X.
Anderson added: “You had no problem in playing in front of the England flag. The middle-aged English men you talk about are the same type of men that paid your wages.
“I believe in free speech, but on this occasion, just shut up. You are completely out of touch. And a bit of a hypocrite.”
Despite the backlash, Sky have now revealed that Neville will not face any formal sanction, with insiders suggesting that his comments, made on his personal LinkedIn account rather than on-air, did not breach the network’s social media guidelines.
Sky’s policy states that contributors must avoid activity that could “bring either the programme or Sky into disrepute,” but distinguishes between private opinion and commentary made in a professional capacity.
Neville has previously appeared on political platforms, including a campaign broadcast with Sir Keir Starmer ahead of the general election.
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Gary Neville featured 85 times for England during his playing days
| PAHis recent comments, however, appear to conflict with the Labour leader’s stance on patriotism.
In his party conference speech last week, Mr Starmer declared that Labour would “never surrender” the flag, urging Britons to “fly all our flags” as symbols of unity.
Neville has not responded publicly to the controversy since posting the video over the weekend.
The footage is understood to have followed a visit to Manchester’s Jewish communities, where numerous Union Flags had been raised in solidarity following the synagogue attack.
Gary Neville is one of Sky Sports' most-prominent names and is believed to be their best-paid presenter
| PAWhether Neville does eventually respond to the comments remains to be seen.
His job at Sky is safe - meaning fans can expect to see him on Super Sunday, as usual, throughout the course of the Premier League season.