Rishi Sunak criticised for praising Qatar's hosting of the World Cup

Rishi Sunak has come under fire from social media users after praising Qatar and the country’s hosting of the World Cup.

The 2022 tournament has proven controversial for all kinds of reasons.

The country continues to be condemned for notions of sports washing, reports of 6,500 migrant worker deaths, appalling attitudes to LGBTQ+ rights, claims of modern slavery and a host of other problems.

Sunak has now been criticised after posting a short video of an England badge and writing: “Hats off to Qatar for hosting an incredible World Cup so far.

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“The group stages will be remembered as one of the all-time greats. Come on @England keep the dream alive,” he added, posting before the Senegal game on Sunday night.

The comments were criticised for being tone deaf, with one writing: “Hats off to Qatar? For hosting a tournament built by workers in appalling conditions, which LGBT football fans can't safely attend, at a vast environmental cost? You absolute plonker.”

Another wrote: “Hats off to Eng so far. Hats back on for the hosting nation's anti gay, anti women, anti migrant worker, anti poor attitudes. Always nice to see our PM standing up for equality.”

One more added: “Hats off to Qatar. Apart from repressing migrant workers' rights, women's rights, LGBTQ+ rights, the free press and the right to peaceful assembly...the hereditary dictatorship of Qatar has put on a great World Cup.”

“Sports Washing. Be ashamed,” a social media user also said.

England stay in the controversial tournament after beating Senegal 3-0 on Sunday night.

Sunak has spoken about being a football fan in the past, with a ‘cringeworthy’ clip of him filling out a World Cup wall chart being slammed by viewers earlier in the tournament.

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