Gary Lineker calls Ukip's Suzanne Evans 'stupid' in Twitter outburst

The Match of the Day presenter hit out at Miss Evans after she called for judges to be subject to democratic accountability following a ruling in the High Court last week which threatened to derail Britain's withdrawal from the European Union.

It is the second time in three weeks that the former footballer has sparked controversy with his political comments. Last month he became embroiled in a row about the arrival of child refugees in Britain, leading to accusations that he was breaching the BBC's code of impartiality. He had said some people questioning refugees' ages were guilty of "hideous racism".

Former England, Leicester City and Tottenham striker Lineker waded in after Miss Evans, who lives in Shrewsbury, spoke on BBC Radio 4, saying the High Court had overridden the will of the British people.

Last week the court ruled that the PM would not be allowed to trigger Britain's withdrawal from the EU without Parliamentary approval. She added: "I think there is a debate to be had about whether judges should be subject to democratic control to inspire confidence in the judiciary."

Lineker responded by commenting on Twitter: "Good heavens, and they say footballers are stupid!" Miss Evans said Lineker had also blocked her on Twitter.

She said one of the judges who ruled against the Prime Minister being able to trigger Brexit was a founder of an organisation devoted to "the development of European law by the European Union and the Council of Europe".

"I don't think it's 'stupid' to point out perhaps he should have absented himself from a case involving the UK's relationship with the EU," she said.