Gary Neville was asked why racism in football is rising. He pointed the finger at Boris Johnson

Gary Neville is being praised for speaking out against racism on and off the football pitch.

Neville’s intervention came after Manchester United players Fred and Jesse Lingard both appeared to be racially abused in the club's 2-1 victory over Manchester City on Saturday evening.

Not shy of naming names, Neville suggested that Boris Johnson’s rhetoric on immigrants and immigration is fuelling the number of racist incidents in British society and sport.

He said:

You are watching the Prime Minister’s debate last night where he is talking about migration to this country, and people having to have certain levels.

It fuels it all the time. It has got worse over the last few years in this country and not just in football.

Manchester City said they were “aware of a video circulating on social media which appears to show a supporter making racial gestures. The club also said they are “working with Greater Manchester Police”to identify the people involved, before reiterating their “zero tolerance policy” towards racism.

Neville isn’t wrong that racism is rising.

Earlier this year a nationwide study revealed that racism had risen following the UK’s vote to leave the EU. It found that 71 per cent of people from ethnic minorities faced discrimination, up from 58 per cent. Boris Johnson’s comparison between Muslim women and “letterboxes” in a newspaper column was also directly linked to a rise 365 per cent in Islamophobic incidents.

Earlier this week, Europe’s governing football body Uefa admitted that more needs to be done to tackle the worsening problem of racism in football after a string of incidents.

On social media, Neville was praised for his intervention.

H/T: Independent.

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