Lots of claim and counterclaim at PMQs about exactly what has been said by ministers about the taking of the knee
Therefore worth looking at exactly what ministers and leading politicians have said about it over the past year.
Therefore worth looking at exactly what ministers and leading politicians have said about it over the past year.
There's no doubt that some Conservative ministers have made clear their dislike of the act over many months.
In 10th June 2020 the PM's spokesperson was asked whether he would take the knee. Response: "All I would say is the PM’s focus is on improving the lives and..."
In 10th June 2020 the PM's spokesperson was asked whether he would take the knee. Response: "All I would say is the PM’s focus is on improving the lives and..."
"...opportunities of BAME people as part of our levelling up agenda."
This was partly in response to Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner taking the knee on 9th June 2020.
news.sky.com/story/george-f…
This was partly in response to Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner taking the knee on 9th June 2020.
news.sky.com/story/george-f…
On 18th June 2020 Dominic Raab was criticised for his comments about taking the knee, which he suggested arose from Game of Thrones and was an act of "subjugation." theguardian.com/politics/2020/…
Quote from Raab: “I’ve got say, on this take the knee thing – which,I don’t know, maybe it’s got a broader history but it seems to be taken from the Game of Thrones – feels to me like a symbol of subjugation and subordination, rather than one of liberation and emancipation."
The Foreign Sec did later address his remarks in this tweet, making it clear it was a matter of personal choice.
https://twitter.com/DominicRaab/status/1273565184351756289
By contrast, shortly afterwards Education minister Nick Gibb did say he would take the knee "in the right circumstances" as a gesture of anti-racism. independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-n…
On 3rd July 2020 the Prime Minister was asked whether he would take the knee- he said: “I don’t want people to be bullied into doing things they don’t necessarily want to do" adding “I don’t believe in gestures, I believe in substance." itv.com/news/2020-07-0…
So the language of "gestures" to describe the act had some pedigree from the PM himself before the Home Sec ever used it.
The question of whether ministers would condemn fans booing players also has a longer history. In December 2020 Environment Sec... theguardian.com/world/2020/dec…
The question of whether ministers would condemn fans booing players also has a longer history. In December 2020 Environment Sec... theguardian.com/world/2020/dec…
..George Eustice was asked about Millwall fans booing players taking the knee. Eustice was critcised for not explcitly condemning that booing- tbf I'm not too sure exactly what he meant by his response, who exactly he was criticising, judge for yourself.
https://twitter.com/RidgeOnSunday/status/1335514739913482246?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1335514739913482246%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.sportbible.com%2Ffootball%2Ffootball-news-government-minister-discusses-millwall-fans-who-booed-taking-a-knee-20201206
In any event shortly afterwards James Cleverly defended Eustice by saying that "Taking the knee is not for everyone, it's not for me, but it doesn't mean that you are in any way an apologist for racism." dailymail.co.uk/news/article-9…
Crucially Cleverly added he thought booing the players was wrong "It is wrong for the football fans to boo the players, those players were acting in a way that demonstrates a solidarity with those people fighting racism and those who have been victims of racism."
Then we get up to date. On 7th June 2021 the PM's spokesperson said he wanted the whole country to get behind the team but was reported at the daily lobby briefing that No 10 refused to explicitly condemn the booing. theguardian.com/football/2021/…
The PM's spokesperson repeated the line that “On taking the knee, specifically, the prime minister is more focused on action rather than gestures" (again, a word which was to become more controversial when used by Priti Patel a few days later).
dailymail.co.uk/sport/football…
dailymail.co.uk/sport/football…
By the 11th June however No 10 had become more explicit saying "The PM wants to see everybody getting behind the team to cheer them on, not boo."
But the earlier comments from the PM's spokesperson were similar to those of Priti Patel's on 14/06: “I just don't support people participating in that type of gesture politics" adding on whether it was right for the "fans" to boo that “that's a choice for them quite frankly."
There was more ambivalence in the interim from ministers- on June 11th Gillian Keegan said many of those booing were themselves anti-racist: " I’m pretty sure most of them would like to end racism as well. They disagree...there’s different things that people are interpreting."
All of this is a way of saying this issue has had a long pedigree in terms of controversy in how ministers have reacted. And they haven't all reacted the same way, indeed there's been a lot of confusion and mixed messaging. Which is why when the PM said today that...
..."We made it absolutely clear that no-one should boo the England team" it is in fact more complicated. No-one ever said that anyone should boo them or other players taking the knee but at times (crucially) at certain times certain ministers (and No10) didn't say they shouldn't.
• • •
Missing some Tweet in this thread? You can try to
force a refresh
