I'll admit upfront that I don't exactly like him, and think he's a complete to55er for prostituting himself to Walkers, but that aside, has he gone too far this time? Has he misjudged the mood of the public? Is it possible he's done a 'Ratner' on himself?

For me the comments were on the crass side, but he shouln't be thot down for it.

Looks like the BBC have backed down. I fear they may have made a rod for their own back.

Lex, I felt they were rather stupid, showed his lack of understanding and coupled with his recent actions (Qatar world cup) made him (and some of his other well-paid colleagues) look rather hypocritical.

He seems to have found himself in a fairly typical position for a revolutionary, not keeping up with the Party Line.
The Qatar business showed some delicious ironies: the liberal elite slobbering over one of the very few contacts they still have in the Arab world, yet, at one and the same time, feeling they really must condemn their culture and practices.