EDUCATION Secretary Gavin Williamson said he had met England footballer Marcus Rashford online when he had in fact met rugby union player Maro Itoje, it has been reported.
In an interview with the Evening Standard newspaper, the minister and former University of Bradford student, said he believed he had met Rashford, who forced the Government into a U-turn on free school meals provision during the pandemic, on Zoom.
But his advisers later told the newspaper that he had actually met rugby star Itoje.
Rashford laughed off Mr Williamson's gaffe as he tweeted: "Accent could have been a giveaway."
Accent could have been a giveaway 🤣 https://t.co/CO2oQjiZZ6
— Marcus Rashford MBE (@MarcusRashford) September 8, 2021
Asked by the Standard whether he had met Rashford, the Cabinet minister told the paper: "We met over Zoom and he seemed incredibly engaged, compassionate and charming but then he had to shoot off. I didn't want to be the one that was holding him back from his training."
Due to recent speculation I thought it was necessary to confirm that I am not Marcus Rashford… And whilst we are here my name is not Mario either!! Just a simple Maro Itoje will do…
— Maro Itoje (@maroitoje) September 8, 2021
Much love,
Marcu… I mean Maro Itoje
Shadow justice secretary David Lammy wrote on Twitter: "This is appalling.
"GavinWilliamson what was it about maroitoje that made you mistake him for MarcusRashford?
"You must be the most ignorant, clueless and incapable Education Secretary in the UK's history."
This is appalling.@GavinWilliamson what was it about @maroitoje that made you mistake him for @MarcusRashford?
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) September 8, 2021
You must be the most ignorant, clueless and incapable Education Secretary in the UK's history. https://t.co/DaXpGPBzWq
Last month, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the Education Secretary should have been sacked "a long time ago" following heavy criticism over his performance in the role over the past year.
It came amid reports that Boris Johnson today, Mr Johnson defended Mr Williamson.
Shadow schools minister Peter Kyle, Labour MP for Hove, asked: "With a net approval rating among Tory supporters of minus 53, can the Prime Minister get to his feet, put his hand on his heart, promise the country, this House and his own supporters that the Education Secretary is the right person for the job, and is up to the job?"
Mr Johnson responded: "I think the whole House will recognise that the Education Secretary has done a heroic job of dealing with a very difficult circumstance in which we have had to close schools during the pandemic.
"And, never forget, I think the job of teachers, the job of parents up and down the land would have been made much easier if Labour, and the Labour leadership in particular, had had the guts, if he'd had the guts to say that schools are safe."
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