Dorries told to ‘check her facts’ after dropping ball on rugby codes
IT WAS a landmark moment in English rugby union history but Nadine Dorries, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, got her codes confused when she mistakenly referred to the 2003 World Cup final win over Australia as a rugby league game.
The Cabinet minister was speaking at Portico Vine Amateur Rugby League Club in St Helens, Merseyside, at an event to celebrate the effect of a social impact programme as part of the rearranged 2021 Rugby League World Cup, which takes place in England this autumn.
Yet Ms Dorries began her speech at the event by appearing to refer to the moment when Jonny Wilkinson kicked the winning drop-goal against the Wallabies in the World Cup final of the 15-a-side code nearly 18 years ago.
She said: “I’ve always quite liked the idea of rugby league and my long-standing memory is that 2003 drop-goal.
“I’ll let you into a secret, I think we were drinking Bloody Marys at the time, it was 11 o’clock in the morning, but wow.”
Ms Dorries’ error raised eyebrows at the event and Billy Vaughan, the vicechairman of Portico Vine, was taken aback by the minister’s address.
He said: “Whoever writes these scripts should check their facts before the speeches are delivered.
“And secondly, if you are the person who is delivering the speech then you need to do your research to check the information you have been given is correct.”
Ms Dorries attempted make light of her faux pas, saying on Twitter: “Like Jason Robinson I may have switched codes in my speech ... both league & union have a rich heritage in the UK.”