From the England team to Andy Murray - our sports stars are better role models than our politicians

The likes of Andy Murray, Gareth Southgate and Marcus Rashford are setting better examples than Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock

Andy Murray celebrates beating Oscar Otte (PA Wire)

At the end of a gruelling five-set win that gave the Centre Court at Wimbledon a similar feeling to the fans at Wembley earlier this week – Andy Murray was asked about what means to play in front of key workers, who had done so much during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Murray – who advanced to the third round after his win over Oscar Otte – said it was “fantastic” many frontline health workers and other key figures of the pandemic had been recognised by being invited to the championships, with the work of NHS staff and others being recognised throughout the tournament. Murray added that he thought the current pay-rise being offered to NHS staff was "pathetic" as he aimed a shot across the bows of the government.

“I think the whole country kind of realised how important they all are, and maybe hadn’t got the recognition that they probably deserve up until now,” Murray said. "Hopefully the politicians can realise that they deserve more than what they are getting paid just now... I think, what is it, they got something like a 1 per cent pay rise? It was pathetic. So, yeah, they obviously deserve a lot more than that."

When allocating the 1 per cent pay rise earlier this year, Boris Johnson insisted the government was giving staff "as much as we can" during the altered economic times of the pandemic. The government is waiting for an independent review body to make its recommendations on NHS salaries before confirming the extent of the rise, but Labour has said Conservative MPs had already voted for a 2.1 per cent pay rise when a long-term spending plan for the health service passed through the House of Commons in January 2020.

The summer that has already seen Gareth Southgate say that he and his players have a duty to "raise awareness and educate" both on and off the field amid a row over his England team taking the knee ahead of matches. “On this island we have a desire to protect our values and traditions – as we should – but it shouldn’t come at the expense of introspection and progress," he wrote in an open letter to fans published on Players' Tribune, adding that he has "never believed that we should just stick to football" Meanwhile, Marcus Rashford – in England's Euro 2020 squad – has been taking the government to task over meals for schoolchildren throughout the pandemic.

It is heartening to see sports stars like this not be afraid to tell it like they see it. I know some would prefer that sportspeople keep out of politics, but given the government cannot stay out of the headlines for all the wrong reasons, there is a need for others to show leadership and moral courage.

The country needs an example to follow, and many will feel that this is severely lacking in the top echelons of government. Murray, like Southgate, Rashford and a number of others in the England squad offer that in not being afraid to talk about the issues that matter.

Murray – putting aside the fact that Scotland are out of Euro 2020 – also wished England well, saying that "hopefully" they can go on and lift the trophy. Even modestly unifying talk like that, that many politicians can learn from.