Janey Starling, co-director of Level Up, said: “Manchester United has welcomed Cristiano like a hero, and created a culture of silence about the rape allegations made against him.

“Boris Johnson once spoke of Brexit and the ‘sunlit meadows beyond’, but the reality he has delivered is food rotting in the fields because there is no one there to pick it."

‘A bad day? I’ve been totally vindicated.  She took my advice and won.,' Morgan said.

"It’s time the Prime Minister took away her get out of jail free card."

The charity said many of Churchill's views on race were “widely seen as unacceptable today, a view that we share”.

'This guy’s stupidity never ceases to amaze me. Great baller but special kind of moron nowadays,' said one bemused twitter user.

'I mean, is the Queen sort of ‘harbouring’ Prince Andrew now? On a Crown Estate? Is this fine?' Wondered comedian Katy Brand.

The mistake sparked criticism from MPs who have accused the Education Secretary of being “clueless” and “not up to the job”, while others accused him of racism as both sportsmen are young, black men.

The moves are part of an intensification of the DUP’s campaign of opposition to post-Brexit arrangements that have created trading barriers between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.