Boris Johnson has been challenged to apologise for failing to condemn the booing of footballers who “take the knee” ahead of games.
The issue is at the heart of an escalating row in the wake of England’s Euro 2020 final appearance on Sunday, as squad member Tyrone Mings accused home secretary Priti Patel of “stoking the fire” of racism by dismissing taking the knee as gesture politics.
Now Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has written to the prime minister urging him to commit to offering his “full support” to players who make peaceful protests against racism.
“Many have seen you wearing the England shirt, and seen your home decorated in England flags, but you’re hardly a supporter when you refuse to support our players in their fight to end the injustice of racism in our country,” wrote the Lib Dem leader.
“Our country needs leaders who will unequivocally condemn racism in all its forms, and give their full support to those who, having experienced it, challenge it. Leaders like Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Buyako Saka, Raheem Sterling and Gareth Southgate. We need a prime minister who will take the lead on it too.”
Ms Patel sparked controversy ahead of the Euro 2020 tournament by refusing to condemn the boos from some sections of the crowds which have greeted players taking the knee before games.
Asked whether fans had a right to boo England’s national team, she said in a TV interview on 14 June: “That’s a choice for them quite frankly. I’ve not gone to a football match to even contemplate that.”
Downing Street sought to distance itself from the comment at the time, saying Mr Johnson would rather “see fans cheering and not booing” the team, but Mr Johnson did not slap down the home secretary on the issue.
After Ms Patel on Monday said she was “disgusted” by racial abuse directed at England penalty-takers Rashford, Sancho and Saka, Aston Villa centre-back Mings responded in a tweet: “You don’t get to stoke the fire at the beginning of the tournament by labelling our anti-racism message as ‘Gesture Politics’ & then pretend to be disgusted when the very thing we’re campaigning against, happens.”
In his letter, Sir Ed said that the “vile racist abuse” directed at “national heroes” Rashford, Sancho and Saka was precisely the sort of problem which players have been protesting about by taking the knee.
The Lib Dem leader told the PM: “I hope that you can now understand why their protest is so important, and why they deserve our wholehearted support for it.
“I hope that you and the home secretary can both now understand why you were wrong to withhold that support and refuse to condemn those who booed our players for protesting racism.
“I urge you to apologise for that, and to commit now that England players and all others who peacefully protest against racism will have your full support in the future.”
