'You're a moron!' Moment Gary Neville is TRASHED in furious flag row

Gary Neville has been labelled a moron over his claims that the Union Flag was being used in a negative fashion. The former England footballer made the comments last week following the attack at the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue which was carried out by Jihad Al-Shamie.

The ex-Manchester United defender said it was not right for the flag to be used in a "negative fashion". In a social media post in the wake of the synagogue attack in Crumpsall, Manchester, Neville hit out at increased levels of division in society. He said: "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."

His comments caused deep division online and in parliament, with shadow communities secretary Sir James Cleverly accusing the Sky Sports pundit of being "polarising".

His post found little support on the Daily Express podcast 'The Daily Expresso', with Assistant Editor James Walker savaging the former Manchester United right back.

He said: "He is going on about angry middle aged white men and saying 'they're the problem with the country' and 'they are the reason there is all this division and all that sort of stuff.'"

"This was a few days, hours, after an attack in Manchester by a guy called Jihad.

"I mean come on, what is wrong with flying the Union Jack? It is our country's flag.

When asked by host JJ Anisiobi if he understood concerns that some people are intimidated by the flag, Walker replied: "If you are intimidated by the flag then you are a moron."

In his post on LinkedIn, Neville said: "On one of my development sites last week, there was a Union Jack flag put up, and I took it down instantly.

"And some people might be watching this and thinking 'well, Gary you're not very patriotic'. I played for my country 85 times. I love my country. I love Manchester and I love England.

"But I've been building in this city for 15-20 years, and there's no one put a Union Jack flag up in the last 15-20 years so why do you need to put one up now?

"Because quite clearly, it's sending a message to everybody that there is something you don't like. The Union Jack flag being used in a negative fashion is not right."

Faith and communities minister Miatta Fahnbulleh hit out at people "trying to stoke tension" as she claimed that Neville was right in what he said.

She told ITV's Good Morning Britain: "I think he's really right, that there are people who are trying to divide us at the moment.

"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."

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."