Journalist Mike Parry fumed over Nike changing the colours on the St George's Cross on England football shirts in a fiery discussion on GB News.
Last week, Nike made headlines by altering the St George's Cross on football shirts using purple and blue horizontal stripes.
The sporting giant called it a 'playful update' to the design ahead of Euro 2024 and said the colours were inspired by the training kit worn by England’s 1966 World Cup winners. It received criticism from across the political spectrum with Keir Starmer and the Prime Minister among those to condemn the change.
Sunak said: "When it comes to our national flags, we shouldn't mess with them because they're a source of pride, identity, who we are, and they're perfect as they are."
Mike Parry was left fuming over the decision
GB News
Speaking to Bev and Andrew on Britain's Newsroom, Mike Parry said: "The people who are most at fault here, without a shadow of doubt, are the people who run the FA.
"Which idiot signed off on that ridiculous and ludicrous parody of the flag of Saint George?"
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Nike changed the colours of the St George's crossX/NikeAndrew said: "There would have been some money involved."
To which Parry replied: "Of course there will be money involved. I think the deal between the FA and Nike runs into the hundreds of millions of pounds.
"And as everyone knows, he who plays the pipe called the tune. That's what's happened in this case, no doubt about it."
Fans and commentators have reacted angrily since the release of the kit that England will wear at Euro 2024 this summer branding it ‘woke'.
Nike will not alter the jersey, which they claim is a nod to England’s 1966 training gear and is said to have ‘flown off the shelves’ since its release last Monday.
In a statement, the FA said on Friday: "The new England 2024 Home kit has a number of design elements which were meant as a tribute to the 1966 World Cup winning team.
"The coloured trim on the cuffs is inspired by the training gear worn by England’s 1966 heroes, and the same colours also feature on the design on the back of the collar.
The choice has been controversial
PA
"It is not the first time that different coloured St George’s cross-inspired designs have been used on England shirts. We are very proud of the red and white St George’s cross – the England flag.
"We understand what it means to our fans, and how it unites and inspires, and it will be displayed prominently at Wembley tomorrow – as it always is – when England play Brazil."
The Labour leader Keir Starmer has also argued that the kit should be changed back.
He said: "I think it was wrong. "As you know, I'm a big football fan. I go to England games - men's and women's games - and the flag is used by everybody.
"It is a unifier, it doesn't need to be changed, we just need to be proud of it - so, I think they should just reconsider this and change it back."
