Gary Lineker has urged Sir Keir Starmer to suspend arms sales to Israel.

In one of his first interventions since leaving the BBC, the sports presenter signed an open letter calling on the Prime Minister to “take immediate action to end the UK’s complicity in the horrors of Gaza”.

More than 300 activist signatories also urged Sir Keir to “use all available means” to ensure humanitarian aid gets into the territory.

They asked him to “make a commitment to the children of Gaza” to broker an “immediate and permanent ceasefire”.

Lineker left Match Of The Day early after 26 years this month. He had used Instagram to promote a pro-Palestinian video featuring a rat emoji – an icon used by the Nazis as a slur against Jewish people.

The former England captain will lose out on an estimated £800,000 after being forced to leave without a pay-off. Sources close to the corporation said the decision to drop him was made by BBC chiefs who had run out of patience with his outspoken political views.

Other celebrities who signed the open letter included Benedict Cumberbatch, Brian Cox, Nicola Coughlin, the Bridgerton actress, and the singers Paloma Faith and Annie Lennox.