Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Patel "stoked the fire," for racist abuse of England players, says Mings

England and Aston Villa defender Tyrone Mings has criticised British home secretary Priti Patel, saying she had "stoked the fire" for racist abuse of England players by defending those who booed players taking the knee.

Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bukayo Saka were attacked by racist trolls after missing penalties in Sunday's 3-2 shoot-out defeat by Italy.


Mings criticism is not the first time he has disagreed with Patel.

The Aston Villa star criticised her -- after the opening Euro 2020 win over Croatia -- for her remarks that taking the knee was "gesture politics".

She also refused to condemn the England fans who booed the team for doing it.

Premier League teams have taken the knee since last year following the murder of George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer in the United States.

Patel had said on Monday the racial abuse of the three players was "disgusting" but it did not wash with Mings.

"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," tweeted Mings.

GettyImages 1328228208 Tyrone Mings (Photo by John Sibley - Pool/Getty Images)

Mings remarks received support from Patel's fellow Conservative lawmaker and former defence minister Johnny Mercer.

"The painful truth is that this guy (Mings) is completely right," Mercer tweeted.

"Very uncomfortable with the position we Conservatives are needlessly forcing ourselves into.

"Do I fight it or stay silent? Modern Conservatism was always so much more to me. We must not lose our way."

Rashford said he will "never apologise for who I am" in an emotional statement.

Rashford has become a hero to many outside football by lobbying the British government to provide free school meals for under-privileged children during the coronavirus pandemic.

"I'm Marcus Rashford, 23-year-old black man from Withington and Wythenshawe, South Manchester. If I have nothing else I have that," Rashford wrote in a statement on Twitter.

2021 07 13T081554Z 1479206150 UP1EH7D0MYF0D RTRMADP 3 SOCCER ENGLAND RASHFORD scaled Marcus Rashford mural covered with messages of support after it was defaced following the Euro 2020 Final between Italy and England. Action Images via Reuters/Ed Sykes

Rashford, who came on late in the second period of extra time, apologised for his penalty miss and said "something didn't feel quite right" when he came to take the kick.

"It's been playing in my head over and over since I struck the ball and there's probably not a word to quite describe how it feels. Final. 55 years. 1 penalty. History. All I can say is sorry. I wish it had gone differently," he wrote.

"I can take critique of my performance all day long, my penalty was not good enough, it should have gone in but I will never apologise for who I am and where I came from," Rashford added.

Images on social media showed a mural honouring Rashford in his hometown of Withington had been defaced before locals covered the hateful language with messages of support.

"Seeing the response in Withington had me on the verge of tears," Rashford said.

He added that he was proud to have worn the England jersey during his side's first major final appearance in 55 years, and grateful for the "brotherhood" that was created in the England camp.

England captain Harry Kane lashed out at those who had posted the racial slurs -- following England manager Gareth Southgate who had said the abuse was "unforgivable".

"Three lads who were brilliant all summer had the courage to step up and take a pen (penalty) when the stakes were high," tweeted Kane.

"They deserve support and backing not the vile racist abuse they've had since last night (Sunday).

"If you abuse anyone on social media you're not an England fan and we don't want you."

The racist attacks were strongly condemned by the English Football Association whose president, Prince William, said he was "sickened" by the abuse.

More For You

Indian restaurant loses licence after Home Office catches illegal workers

Mumbai Local has been stripped of its licence by Harrow council. (Photo: LDRS/Google Maps)

Indian restaurant loses licence after Home Office catches illegal workers

AN INDIAN restaurant in north London has lost its licence after it was found to have repeatedly employed illegal workers.

Harrow council determined that the evidence suggested that using illegal workers was a “systemic approach” to running the premises and it had a “lack of trust” in the business to comply with the law.

Keep ReadingShow less
Trump sees Modi, Putin closer to Xi, but insists US-India ties intact

FILE PHOTO: US president Donald Trump meets with Indian prime minister Narendra Modi at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 13, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

Trump sees Modi, Putin closer to Xi, but insists US-India ties intact

US PRESIDENT Donald Trump said India and Russia seem to have been "lost" to China after their leaders met with Chinese president Xi Jinping this week, expressing his annoyance at New Delhi and Moscow as Beijing pushes a new world order.

"Looks like we've lost India and Russia to deepest, darkest, China. May they have a long and prosperous future together!" Trump wrote in a social media post accompanying a photo of the three leaders together at Xi's summit in China.

Keep ReadingShow less
Farage pledges Reform UK election push as Tories, Labour falter

Nigel Farage gestures as he speaks during the party's national conference at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, Britain, September 5, 2025. REUTERS/Isabel Infantes

Farage pledges Reform UK election push as Tories, Labour falter

POPULIST leader Nigel Farage vowed to start preparing for government, saying the nation's two main parties were in meltdown and only his Reform UK could ease the anger and despair plaguing the country to "make Britain great again".

To a prolonged standing ovation by a crowd at the annual party conference on Friday (5), Farage for the first time offered a vision of how Britain would be under a Reform government: He pledged to end the arrival of illegal migrants in boats in two weeks, bring back "stop-and-search" policing and scrap net zero policies.

Keep ReadingShow less
Shabana Mahmood

Newly appointed home secretary Shabana Mahmood arrives at Number 10 at Downing Street as Keir Starmer holds a cabinet reshuffle on September 5, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)

Shabana Mahmood named home secretary, Lammy deputy to Starmer in major reshuffle

Highlights:

  • David Lammy becomes deputy prime minister while keeping foreign affairs brief
  • Angela Rayner resigned after admitting underpaid property tax
  • Lisa Nandy to stay on as culture secretary
  • Reshuffle marks first major shake-up of Starmer’s government

SHABANA MAHMOOD has been appointed home secretary in a major reshuffle of prime minister Keir Starmer’s cabinet following the resignation of deputy prime minister Angela Rayner.

Keep ReadingShow less
Epping protests

The protests outside the Bell Hotel in Epping triggered a series of demonstrations across the country during heightened tensions over immigration. (Photo: Getty Images)

Asylum seeker convicted of sex assaults case that led to protests

AN ETHIOPIAN asylum seeker, whose arrest in July led to protests outside a hotel near London where he and other migrants were housed, has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a teenage girl and another woman.

The protests outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, about 20 miles (30 km) from London, triggered a series of demonstrations across the country during heightened tensions over immigration.

Keep ReadingShow less