Government condemned as sports stars accuse politicians of fuelling racist abuse of England players

Footballer Tyrone Mings accuses the home secretary of stoking the fire of racism

Racist abuse levied against three of England’s footballers in the wake of the team’s defeat in Sunday’s Euro 2020 final has left many disappointed in the nation’s fans – but also in its leadership.

Across the country, many have blamed Boris Johnson and Priti Patel for having failed to lead by example in the fight to combat racism, with Labour branding the pair “hypocrites” for condemning racist abuse against England’s Marcus Rashford, Bukayo Saka and Jadon Sancho, after refusing to support players in taking the knee before games in a show of solidarity with the fight for racial justice.

Labour leader Keir Starmer said Mr Johnson “failed the test of leadership” by refusing to strongly condemn fans who booed England players taking the knee, while deputy leader Angela Rayner compared the PM and home secretary to “arsonists complaining about a fire they poured petrol on”.

Criticisms of the government were not contained to the political sphere, however, with English footballer Tyrone Mings taking aim at Ms Patel, writing 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’ [and] then pretend to be disgusted when the very thing we’re campaigning against, happens.”

The footballer’s comments came in response to the home secretary’s tweet expressing her disgust “that England players who have given so much for our country this summer have been subject to vile racist abuse on social media”.

Former footballer Gary Neville also weighed in, accusing Mr Johnson of having “promoted” racism himself, in his now-notorious newspaper article about Muslim women looking “like letterboxes”.

Tyrone Mings made two starts for England at Euro 2020 (PA Wire)

Anti-racism groups were also critical of the government’s leadership, with Tony Burnett, CEO of Kick It Out, an organisation campaigning for equality and inclusion in football, accusing the country’s leadership of playing a “dangerous” role in fuelling divisive rhetoric in the UK.

“I think politics in this country, for a number of years now, has been fuelling negative discussions around race,” Mr Burnett said. “I think it’s irresponsible, I think it’s ill-informed and I think it’s dangerous.”

Mr Burnett said that as soon as he saw Mr Rashford miss his penalty kick on Sunday, he knew the player would face racist abuse from.

“I suspect as soon as Marcus Rashford missed the penalty, he knew,” he said of the player, who saw a mural put up in his honour in Manchester vandalised with a racist message in the wake of Sunday’s loss.

Local residents put messages of support on the plastic that covers offensive graffiti on the mural of striker Marcus Rashford in Withington, Manchester (Getty Images)

In a statement shared with The Independent, advocacy group Show Racism the Red Card (SRtRC) said Britons need a “clear message” on the fight to combat racism.

Noting that while the prime minister condemned the racist abuse against England’s players, he “refused to condemn those who booed players for taking the knee throughout the Euro 2020 tournament, SRtRC said “this is exactly why [players] take the knee”.

“We need to make it clear that there is no room for racism or any form of discrimination in our society. The England players made that clear by taking the knee, now it’s time for us all to stand with them, together, united against racism,” the organisation said.

Halima Begum, CEO of independent race equality think tank Runnymede Trust, echoed calls for the government to take more responsibility, saying “leadership on the race issue should come from the very top”.

“Gareth Southgate and the England team has been the embodiment of kind, sincere leadership and it has been a privilege to see our children look up to these heroes and aspire to the standards they have set, both in sporting and moral terms,” Ms Begum said.

“Leadership on the race issue should come from the very top, it is incumbent on our leaders to set the tone and the standard for our nation to follow. Racial equality is a matter of basic civil rights, there should be no place for racism in our country, whether on our football pitches, our streets, our schools or our places of work. There should be no need for the issue of race to be levered into contrived culture wars,” Ms Begum said.

Gareth Southgate: Abuse unforgivable

England manager Gareth Southgate has said the racist abuse that has been aimed at his team’s players after their Euro 2020 final defeat is “unforgivable”.

“It’s just not what we stand for,” he said. “We have been a beacon of light in bringing people together, in people being able to relate to the national team, and the national team stands for everybody and so that togetherness has to continue,” Southgate said. “We have shown the power our country has when it does come together and has that energy and positivity together.”

The England manager also added: “It’s my decision who takes the penalties, it’s not a case of players not volunteering or more experienced players backing out.”

The Metropolitan Police have said the abuse “will not be tolerated” and will be investigated in a probe Ms Patel has said she supports.

With many across the country condemning the racist abuse players have faced, Prince William, who serves as president of England’s Football Association, was among those to express his disgust.

While he did not lay blame on anyone in particular, he said he was “sickened by the racist abuse” aimed at Rashford, Saka and Sancho.

“It must stop now and all those involved should be held accountable,” he said.