UK education minister Williamson criticised for black sportsmen gaffe

Soccer player Marcus Rashford (L) and rugby player Maro Itoje. REUTERS/Files

LONDON (Reuters) - British education minister Gavin Williamson came under fire on Wednesday for confusing two black campaigning sportsmen, claiming to have to have met with soccer player Marcus Rashford when in fact it had been rugby player Maro Itoje.

In an interview with the Evening Standard newspaper, Williamson said he had had a Zoom meeting with Rashford, who led a high-profile campaign to pressure the government to extend the provision of free meals to poorer children to include school holiday times.