Priti Patel
Just a month ago, Priti Patel dismissed taking the knee as ‘gesture politics’ while also defending the right of football fans to boo players choosing to do so. In her criticism of the England team, the Home Secretary called Black Lives Matter activism ‘devastating’ but failed to acknowledge the harm that institutional racism does - the issue that sparked the anti-racist protests in the first place. As the England team have gone from strength to strength, the Home Secretary has sincetweeted several times in support of the winning team.
Lee Anderson
In a Facebook post written in June, the Ashfield MP wrote ‘For the first time in my life I will not be watching my beloved England team whilst they are supporting a political movement whose core principles aim to undermine our very way of life’. England’s players have been taking the knee ahead of kick-off as a gesture against racism and inequality - which raises the question of whether Anderson believes these evils to be part of ‘our way of life’. As the nation celebrates the team’s continued progress in the tournament, Anderson has maintained that he is sticking to his one-man boycott. Ahead of the finals, his stance has not changed. ‘There is nothing to update, I stick by my comments three weeks ago. Well done, well played I hope it continues.’ As millions tune in to watch England v Italy, Anderson will be unpacking boxes.
Brendan Clarke-Smith
Brendan Clarke-Smith caused a storm of controversy in June after drawing parallels between England’s players ‘taking a knee’ and the Nazi salute. According to the Tory MP, England players in a 1938 match against Germany in Berlin did not want to give the Nazi salute but were forced to, and it has been a ‘great source of shame for many of those involved’ ever since. The fact that Clarke-Smith could even fathom a comparison between a peaceful protest against racism and a Nazi salute signifies his feelings towards the England football team’s core principles. This very same MP has since tweeted and retweeted multiple messages in support of the England team
