Aimee Walker
Priti Patel has been accused of ‘stoking the fire’ by footballer Tyrone Mings.
The Home Secretary tweeted on July 12 that she was ‘disgusted’ by the ‘vile racist abuse’ that three black England players have received since losing against Italy at the Euro 2020 finals.
She penned: “I am disgusted that @England players who have given so much for our country this summer have been subject to vile racist on social media.
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“It has no place in our country, and I back the police to hold those responsible accountable.”
After reading the tweet, Ming decided to remind the politician that she has previously branded taking the knee – a symbolic gesture against racism – ‘gesture politics’.
He remarked: “You don’t get to stoke the fire at the beginning of the tournament by labelling our anti-racism message as ‘gesture politics’ and the pretend to be disgusted when the very thing we’re campaigning against, happens.”
The footballer was referring to Patel’s past comment on broadcaster GB News.
In that particular interview, she stated: “I just don’t support people participating in that type of gesture politics.”
When the 49-year-old was then asked whether or not she thought it was okay for England fans to boo players who did it, she responded: “That’s a choice for them quite frankly. I’ve not gone to a football match to even contemplate that.”
But Patel isn’t the only politician to have been accused of jumping on the bandwagon.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been called out by former Manchester United and England defender Gary Neville for ‘promoting’ racism.
In a chat with Sky News, Neville commented: “The Prime Minister said it was okay for the population of this country to boo those players who were trying to promote equality and defend racism.
“It starts at the top. What do you think is going to happen underneath in life? The parents do something, the children follow.”
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