A Tory backbencher was forced to backtrack after a horrific own goal-attack on England player Marcus Rashford over his missed Euro 2020 penalty.
Dover MP Natalie Elphicke suggested the Manchester United player should have practiced spot-kicks instead of campaigning for free meals for deprived schoolchildren during the lockdown.
She commented on a Tory MP WhatsApp group after the Three Lions’ Euro 2020 defeat on penalties to Italy at Wembly.
Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford was one of the three England players to miss in the deciding shoot out in the Three Lions’ first major final in 55 years.
In a message first reported by GB News, Natalie Elphicke told other Tories that they lost, and wouldn’t it be ungenerous to suggest Marcus Rashford should have spent more time perfecting his game and less time playing politics.
But after her remarks were leaked and widely criticised she took to Twitter to heap adoration on the team, and she said that she shared the disappointment and heartbreak of millions of England supporters.
She said that the team gave their all and praised them and onwards to the World Cup.
Labour’s Warrington North MP Charlotte Nichols responded, saying that when Natalie Elphicke has fed as many hungry children as Marcus Rashford, or done as much to inspire the nation, then she could slag him off all she liked, but until then, she should pipe down and wind her neck in.
Greater Manchester MP Barbara Keeley added: ‘Marcus Rashford campaigned for millions of children last year ensuring they were not left hungry by this Tory Government during the pandemic.
She said that he’s a great ambassador for our country on and off the pitch and that the people in Greater Manchester and across the country were extremely proud of him.
One Tory MP told a newspaper outlet there were around 200 MPs on the group Ms Elphicke posted to, and they said it might have been something that numerous people might have been thinking, but probably was best not to go there, and that it was rather disheartening that we couldn’t have discussions amongst ourselves.
Ms Elphicke, a 50-year-old mother of two, has been MP for Dover since 2019 when she succeeded her now ex-husband Charlie, who was imprisoned for three sex crimes on two women.
But what a couple Natalie and Charlie are, detached from reality and far too full of their own importance, and this is another dog s**t level of a politician who we have in this country, who doesn’t even have the courage of her convictions, and she should be working at politics not playing at them. Marcus Rashford put food on children’s tables, but the Tories would have loved to have taken them off, and perhaps if the government took care of the country like they’re supposed to then Marcus Rashford wouldn’t have to.
Marcus Rashford did more to improve the quality of life for others in this country than Natalie Elphicke has done in her time as an MP, and shame on her for her reckless remarks.
It’s a little like writing an email, walking away and returning to it later to see if you still want to send it – she should have kept her trap shut, but is this ever going to end, and can’t we for one moment just leave each other alone and stop witch-hunting each other, looking for faults and just simply enjoy the fact that we did do well.
We played a great team and we held them off so well. Okay so we came second but in other sports that’s celebrated, so can’t we just enjoy that?
