WILLIAMSON KICKS OFF RACE RUCKUS
Gaffe-prone Gavin blasted for mixing up rugby hunk Itoje and soccer ace Rashford
GAVIN Williamson is embroiled in a race row after he confused footballer Marcus Rashford with another black sportsman.
The Education Secretary said in an interview he had met Manchester United player Rashford via Zoom but it later transpired it was England rugby star Maro Itoje he had spoken to.
Critics branded the mix-up ‘racist’, saying the two have little in common beside their ethnicity.
London-born Itoje, 26, who is 6ft 4in, was educated at £14,555-a-term Harrow School on a scholarship, while 5ft 11in Mancunian Rashford, 23, went to the state academy school Ashton-on-Mersey.
Some said the gaffe was the ‘final nail in the coffin’ for Mr Williamson, who has faced intense criticism for his handling of education during the pandemic. It comes amid speculation that he could be replaced by equalities minister Kemi Badenoch.
In an interview with the Evening Standard, the Education Secretary was asked by journalist Susannah Butter if he had met Rashford.
He replied: ‘We met over Zoom and he seemed incredibly engaged, compassionate and charming.’ His team later corrected his mistake, saying it was Itoje he had met.
Both sportsmen have been campaigning for pupils recently. Rashford forced a government U-turn on extending free school meals into the holidays during the pandemic, while Itoje used his influence to help disadvantaged children get access to laptops during lockdown.
Both appeared to see the funny side yesterday, with Rashford tweeting: ‘Accent could have been a giveaway.’ He added a laughing emoji.
Meanwhile, Itoje quipped: ‘Due to recent speculation I thought it was necessary to confirm that I am not Marcus Rashford.’
But critics reacted angrily, suggesting Mr Williamson only confused Rashford and Itoje because of their ethnicity.
Labour’s justice spokesman David Lammy tweeted: ‘This is appalling. What was it about Maro Itoje that made you mistake him for Marcus Rashford?
‘You must be the most ignorant, clueless and incapable Education Secretary in the UK’s history.’ Liberal Democrat education spokesman Daisy Cooper said: ‘This must surely be the final nail in the coffin for Gavin Williamson.’
Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said: ‘According to Gavin Williamson a black man from Wythenshawe [Manchester] who plays football for England looks the same as a black man from North London who plays rugby for England. The fact that Gavin Williamson remains in his job is a daily reminder of how mediocre white men rise and rise.’
Mr Williamson clarified his comments yesterday, saying: ‘Towards the end of a wide-ranging interview in which I talked about both the laptops and school meals campaigns, I conflated the issues and made a genuine mistake. We corrected this with the journalist before publication of the story.
‘I have huge respect for both Marcus Rashford and Maro Itoje who run effective and inspiring campaigns.’
The gaffe comes amid mounting speculation that Boris Johnson is preparing a reshuffle of his top team, with sources suggesting Mr Williamson may be moved to a lower-profile job.
One Whitehall source said: ‘He has the reverse Midas touch – everything he touches turns to s***.’
Boris Johnson’s press secretary later said there are no plans for a reshuffle.
Mr Williamson’s previous gaffes include telling Russia to ‘go away and shut up’ over the Salisbury attacks when he was defence secretary.
He also risked a row with France in 2018 by saying: ‘What is the point in listening to French politicians?’
‘Ignorant, clueless and incapable’