Devendra Kumar
British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has come under fire for his tweets following England’s Women’s World Cup final loss to Spain. Sunak’s initial tweet, congratulating the Lionesses on their efforts, read: “You left absolutely nothing out there, Lionesses.” However, many, including senior Labour MP Angela Eagle, pointed out that the phrase should be “absolutely everything”, implying that the team gave their all.
Senior Conservative Party figures, including Conservative Party leader Sunak, have faced criticism for not attending the final in person. The Prime Minister opted to watch the match in his local pub in North Yorkshire, where he was accompanied by supporters, instead of attending the game in Sydney, Australia.
Fans on Twitter were unimpressed with Sunak’s decision, with some describing his tweet as a “joke” and others calling for him to be present at the match. Despite this, Cabinet Minister Lucy Frazer, who represented the UK government at the tournament’s conclusion, defended the Prime Minister, saying that he felt “very passionately about the women’s game”.
In an open letter to the team ahead of the match, Sunak expressed his support for the Lionesses, stating that he would be “watching and cheering” them on. However, his in-person absence raised questions about his commitment to the team and the women’s game in general.
Following the match, Sunak tweeted: “We still believe!”, a phrase that seemed to undermine his earlier support for the team. The tweet included a picture of him in the pub, dressed in an England jersey, but many saw it as an attempt to salvage his image rather than a genuine show of support for the team.
Despite the controversy, the Lionesses’ performance in the tournament has inspired countless young women and girls, and the team has been praised for their hard work and dedication. However, the Prime Minister’s actions have been widely criticized, and his commitment to the women’s game is now being called into question.