21 August 2023 , 07:45
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Rishi Sunak wouldn't have got on a plane if the England men's team had reached a World Cup final because his schedule is "so busy" a Tory minister said.
The PM came under fire for not jetting off to Australia to watch yesterday's Lionesses final against Spain. Critics suggested he would have made more of an effort if the men's team had made a major final.
Mr Sunak, who watched in a pub in Northallerton, was criticised along with Prince William - who as president of the Football Association was expected to be there - for not going. Former England goalkeeper Pauline Cope said over the weekend: “Let’s be honest, if it was the men’s World Cup, they would all be here.”
But education minister Claire Coutinho jumped to his defence when asked if the PM was just paying lip service to the women's game. Ms Coutinho told Sky News: "No, I don't think so."
The Lionesses were left heartbroken after yesterday's final (FIFA via Getty Images)Culture Secretary Lucy Frazer and Foreign Secretary James Cleverly both made a late dash Down Under after the Lionesses' semi final victory last Wednesday. Ms Coutinho said: "So the Foreign Secretary was there and the DCMS Secretary was also there. This Government was represented. And I know that the Prime Minister would have loved to have been there but he's also got a huge amount of work to do.
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"And I think the travel time is probably difficult. But I know how proud he is of the Lionesses. We all are. It's an amazing achievement to get to a World Cup final. It's absolutely extraordinary."
When the minister was pressed on whether he would have got on a plane if the men's team was in a final, Ms Coutinho said: "I don't think he would have because his schedule is so busy and I know that from working with him, but I do know how proud he is of the Lionesses like we all are. It's such a tremendous achievement. It was absolutely just brilliant to see."
The gaffe-prone PM was also mocked after botching a tribute to the Lionesses following their World Cup final heartbreak. Mr Sunak wrote: "You left absolutely nothing out there." But the clumsy wording was quickly seized on, with senior Labour MP Angela Eagle pointing out: "I think the phrase is ‘absolutely everything’ PM".
Former BBC journalist Jon Sopel wrote: "Everything, surely!?" Labour MP Maria Eagle posted: "Do you mean ‘you left absolutely everything out there’ rather than nothing PM? I thought the Lionesses tried really hard."
As The Mirror has reported, talking about football can be dangerous for MPs, with a long list of politicians who have come unstuck. Mr Sunak previously blundered while showing off his credentials during last year's Tory leadership campaign.
He is a supporter of Southampton, his local side when he grew up. He unnecessarily antagonised a crowd at a hustings event in Manchester.
Asked if his side could get back to winning ways, he said: “I’m going to be unpopular for saying it here, starting by beating United this weekend." The problem was that they weren't playing United at all that weekend - they were actually scheduled to face Leicester City.
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