Gary Neville breaks Ofcom record after complaints flood in at ITV World Cup rant

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    ITV's coverage of the World Cup final has been hit with a record-breaking amount of Ofcom complaints due to Gary Neville's UK government rant.

    Pundit Neville, who is a staunch Labour supporter, used his platform while millions were watching at home to criticise the Conservatives on Sunday (December 18), accusing Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Co of "demonising workers" and "terrifying nurses".

    Ofcom have since received 605 complaints from viewers about the "politicised comments" from Neville during the programme, which is the most for a sports programme this year and the ninth most overall.

    READ MORE: FIFA accused of trolling Cristiano Ronaldo with 'unnecessary' World Cup post they deleted

    He said: "The working system of Kafala which obviously through football the conversation has started and it's been removed here now in Qatar but it is abhorrent and we should detest low pay, we should detest poor accommodation and working conditions.

    "We can never accept that in this region or any other region, and it is just worth mentioning we've got a current government in our country that are demonising rail workers, ambulance workers and terrifying nurses.

    "In our country we've got to look at workers rights but when football goes, we have to pick up on workers rights wherever it goes because people have got to be equal and treated equal.

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    "We can't have people being paid an absolute pittance to work, we can't have people in accommodation that is unsavoury and disgusting. It shouldn't happen here.

    "That shouldn't happen here with the wealth that exists. But it shouldn't happen with the nurses in our country either where our nurses are having to fight for an extra pound or two pounds."

    Ofcom have asked ITV bosses to explain Neville's speech, with a spokesperson saying today (December 21): "We are assessing this content as a priority and have asked ITV provide us with details about the broadcast to inform that work."

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    • Gary Neville
    • ITV
    • World Cup
    • Ofcom

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