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Gary Lineker "shows Britain at its best", Jeremy Corbyn said today as the BBC host batted aside Tory MPs who want him sacked.

The Beeb faced calls to ditch its Match of the Day host after he plunged into a row over age checks for migrants and refugees coming to Britain.

Mr Lineker stood his ground, saying: "Getting a bit of a spanking today, but things could be worse. Imagine, just for a second, being a refugee having to flee from your home."

And Labour's leader heaped praise on him and singer Lily Allen, who was also criticised for apologising "on behalf of my country" at the Calais Jungle camp.

(Image: Jack Taylor/Getty Images)

Mr Corbyn tweeted: "I admire Gary Lineker and Lily Allen for showing Britain at its best: compassionate, welcoming, and standing up to fear and division."

Tory MPs had slammed Mr Lineker for retweeting a claim that an older-looking arrival in Britain this week was a Home Office interpreter - adding the caption: "Surely not?".

A Home Office spokesman said the male arrival was not an interpreter for the department.

Tory MP David Davies, who said some clearly looked over 18 and should have dental X-rays, said: "I question if the BBC should be employing him."

Fellow Tory Alec Shelbrooke told The Sun - which accused Lineker of "peddling migrant lies" - "He needs to decide if he's a political activist or BBC sports journalist - he can't be both."

It wasn't confirmed for sure yesterday whether the man pictured was a migrant or refugee from the Calais camp. Charity Citizens UK told the Mirror it did not recognise the man.

(Image: Reuters / Getty)

The MOTD host has repeatedly spoken up for the few hundreds unaccompanied children coming to Britain from the Jungle camp.

He tweeted earlier this week: "The treatment by some towards these young refugees is hideously racist and utterly heartless.

"What's happening to our country?"

Earlier Ukip MEP Patrick O'Flynn said: "If Mr Lineker wants to be Lib-Left political voice then fair enough, but get him off MOTD please."

Home Office figures show 933 asylum applicants faced an age assessment last year after their claims to be children were doubted.

Officials decided 636 of them - 68% - were over 18.

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(Image: BBC/Victoria Derbyshire)

From January 2006 to June 2016, 11,847 applicants were assessed for their age and 5,278 (45%) were deemed to be over 18.

But the call for dental checks was rubbished by dentists and the government, who said they were inaccurate.

A Home Office spokesman said: "The British Dental Association has described them as inaccurate, inappropriate and unethical."

Foreign Office Minister Tobias Ellwood said some migrants would "test the system" but also rejected the idea of dental checks.