A “sulky” Tory MP who promised to boycott England matches over the players taking the knee before matches has admitted he is “annoyed” to miss out on the Euro 2020 final.
But Lee Anderson insisted that although he is a “massive England fan” he would be a “hypocrite” to go back on his promise to protest the team’s anti-racism stance.
The Ashfield MP said “I don’t like the taking the knee business” because it is associated with the Black Lives Matter political movement.
But he has faced mockery for refusing to watch the England men’s football team’s best tournament performance since victory in the 1966 World Cup.
Despite Gareth Southgate’s team standing on the verge of an historic victory in Sunday’s final against Italy, Anderson told GB News: “I’m annoyed that I’m not going to watch it, of course I am, but I made a statement and I’d be a hypocrite to go back on that.
“I’m a massive England supporter, I made a statement, I stick to my words, I’m not going to watch the game but I’m going to support the team, I hope they bring it home.”
The MP admitted he would be checking the score on his phone as he travels to London on Sunday night.
Meanwhile, Labour has launched a petition calling for Anderson to stay away from England matches, joking that he may have cursed the team’s performances since being born in 1967.
“Sulky Tory MP Lee Anderson hasn’t been cheering England’s heroes like the rest of us because he doesn’t like their simple act of anti-racism,” the petition said.
“As Anderson was born in 1967 we think maybe he’s been the jinx all along.”
from Football – inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/3e2PK6V
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