Beefy

[johnofgwent]

I bet Botham will go native when he gets there land a job in Aussie cricket or as a TV commentator.

And would that be a bad thing ?


The world of sport is filled with cases of former players turned microphone merchants. I feel most know more about the event they are covering than the local politicians know about the lives of the audience ....

[johnofgwent]

Cheers, there are numerous candidates for that nickname.

And there are many nicknames for him. Most would probably get me banned...

[HDQQ]

I bet Botham will go native when he gets there land a job in Aussie cricket or as a TV commentator.

[papasmurf]

For someone who claims to have so much knowledge of the lives and hardships experienced by both ordinary and disadvantaged people, you display a remarkable unfamiliarity with some of the most commonly used expressions and names that are widely used around the place...

Nicknames apart from Bojo-The-Clown and The Angel of Death are not in as common usage as you seem to think.
It certainly has no bearing at all on research and data about  the lives and hardships experienced by both ordinary and disadvantaged people.

[patman post]

Who is "Big Ears" please?

For someone who claims to have so much knowledge of the lives and hardships experienced by both ordinary and disadvantaged people, you display a remarkable unfamiliarity with some of the most commonly used expressions and names that are widely used around the place...

[papasmurf]

prince charles

Cheers, there are numerous candidates for that nickname.

[cromwell]

Who is "Big Ears" please?

prince charles

[papasmurf]

The downside of course is if and when Big ears takes over we will have someone all too ready to engage in politics.

Who is "Big Ears" please?

[patman post]

Wonder if Beefy is intended to be the UK's answer to Australia's Sir Les Patterson...

[Sheepy]

He has always been one of those people who put his heart and soul into accomplishing being top of the class at everything he has tried, so whatever a trade envoy is, I reckon he will try to be highly successful at it.

[cromwell]

Almost as pointless as Blair the middle East peace envoy.

Actually, as I said about Schwarzenegger and the Governor of California Job, he may be just an actor, but he is also a businessman and knows people. And that's what matters.


The same is true here. Whatever passes for a filofax these days, Botham's us almost certainly full of contacts in as n arena where making things happen matters, and frankly, that's what counts here. A name people recognise with an obvious, and better still APOLITICAL hook (in as much as sport ever is !!!) to the country and its relationship to ours.


As Nick said in the OP I'm sure you the naysayers can think up a dozen or more downsides but frankly I think it better to NOT have a person who came to the job through politics ...


The man is known for sporting achievement in a sport the Aussies are slightly fanatical about, a sport where money abounds. I think he's a perfect figurehead for the work that needs doing.

Excellent point John and straying a tad here I am a republican by nature but it is your very observation that shows the downside of that where inevitably we'd have had a president Bliar

The downside of course is if and when Big ears takes over we will have someone all too ready to engage in politics.

[johnofgwent]

Given the lack of expertise in the job they have been given it seems to be a pointless exercise.

Almost as pointless as Blair the middle East peace envoy.

Actually, as I said about Schwarzenegger and the Governor of California Job, he may be just an actor, but he is also a businessman and knows people. And that's what matters.


The same is true here. Whatever passes for a filofax these days, Botham's us almost certainly full of contacts in as n arena where making things happen matters, and frankly, that's what counts here. A name people recognise with an obvious, and better still APOLITICAL hook (in as much as sport ever is !!!) to the country and its relationship to ours.


As Nick said in the OP I'm sure you the naysayers can think up a dozen or more downsides but frankly I think it better to NOT have a person who came to the job through politics ...


The man is known for sporting achievement in a sport the Aussies are slightly fanatical about, a sport where money abounds. I think he's a perfect figurehead for the work that needs doing.

[papasmurf]

I think it IS a good move.  I don't know whata Trade Envoy does, I suspect little more than wandering round fixing up meetings, and he's probably been to more of their larger cities that anyone else in the House of Lords

Given the lack of expertise in the job they have been given it seems to be a pointless exercise.

[johnofgwent]

I'm sure our resident doom mongers will be able to put a negative spin on this but I think it's a good move.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3j3z7j2zdeo

I think it IS a good move.  I don't know whata Trade Envoy does, I suspect little more than wandering round fixing up meetings, and he's probably been to more of their larger cities that anyone else in the House of Lords

[Nick]

I'm sure our resident doom mongers will be able to put a negative spin on this but I think it's a good move.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c3j3z7j2zdeo