Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said he had met England footballer Marcus Rashford online when he had in fact met rugby player Maro Itoje, it has been reported.
In an interview with the Evening Standard, the minister 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.”
England's Marcus Rashford.
Mike Egerton
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.”
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.”
England rugby star Maro Itoje also joked on Twitter over Mr Williamson’s mix-up.
He said on Twitter: “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… Much love, Marcu… I mean Maro Itoje.”
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…
Much love,
Marcu… I mean Maro Itoje
— Maro Itoje (@maroitoje) September 8, 2021
The Education Secretary has said he made a “genuine mistake” after saying he had met footballer Marcus Rashford online when he had instead talked to rugby player Maro Itoje.
Gavin Williamson said: “Towards the end of a wide-ranging interview in which I talked about both the laptops and school meals campaigns, I conflated the issues and made a genuine mistake.
“We corrected this with the journalist before publication of the story.
“I have huge respect for both Marcus Rashford and Maro Itoje, who run effective and inspiring campaigns.”
British & Irish Lions Maro Itoje during a training session at Cape Town Stadium, South Africa.
Steve Haag
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 is considering replacing him at the next reshuffle.
Liberal Democrat education spokeswoman Daisy Cooper said: “This is a shocking and embarrassing admission that shows Gavin Williamson is simply not up to the job.
“The Education Secretary has let down children, parents and teachers by failing to secure enough cash to catch up on lost learning during the pandemic.
“Now he has confused two black sporting heroes and failed to recognise Marcus Rashford, who has led the charge on fighting child poverty.
Education Secretary Gavin Williamson
House of Commons
“If rumours of an imminent reshuffle are true, this must surely be the final nail in the coffin for Gavin Williamson holding ministerial office ever again.”
But during Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, 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.”
The Prime Minister’s press secretary said on Wednesday that there are no plans for a reshuffle but that Mr Johnson will be working from Downing Street on Thursday.