Gary Neville has called Boris Johnson a ‘liar’ after the UK Prime Minister claimed to have always supported England stars in their battle against racism.
Johnson and other members of the Conservative Party didn’t condemn fans who booed players taking the knee during Euro 2020, with Home Secretary Priti Patel dismissing it as ‘gesture politics’.
Bukayo Saka, Jadon Sancho and Marcus Rashford were racially abused after missing penalties in Sunday’s final and Johnson was asked if his previous use of racist tropes undermined his ability to lead.
He told Sky News: “Obviously I reject that… or disagree with it I should say.
Sky’s @BethRigby asks Boris Johnson if he and his ministers have ‘stoked division’ and questions if his ‘own record undermines his image as a unifier’.
The PM says he “disagrees”, and claims that he “always said it was wrong to boo the England players”.https://t.co/xnT9iaebik pic.twitter.com/ZOCwnAU22h
— Sky News (@SkyNews) July 15, 2021
“I think that racism has absolutely no place in our society and I think the England team represented the very best of us and our country.
“I think the outpouring of love for the England team on Sunday showed this country at its best and most united. I think we all want to take practical steps to prevent racism in all its forms.”
Johnson also said he’s always said it was wrong to boo the England players and Neville hit back with just one word.
— Gary Neville (@GNev2) July 15, 2021
Someone replied to Neville asking him to leave Johnson alone and the former Manchester United man replied: “I will when he leaves office and is replaced with someone competent and doesn’t lie.”
The 46-year-old spoke at length about racism on Monday morning and called out the government’s stance on racism.
“The taking of the knee over the last month, when the players tried to explain it was to promote equality and to be against racism, was ridiculed by our top-ranking government officials,” he said live on Sky News.
“When we get racist abuse after a football match at the end of a tournament, I expect it, unfortunately, because it exists, and it’s actually promoted by the Prime Minister, who called Muslim women ‘letterboxes’, said they look like letterboxes.
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| Image Credit: PA |
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| Image Credit: PA |
“Honestly, we’ve got to do something about this.
“I keep saying it on television, I keep getting accused of having a go at the Conservative Party.
“It’s nothing to do with Conservative or Labour or Liberal Democrat, it’s to do with integrity, it’s to do with doing the right thing.”
Featured Image Credit: PA Images