‘What next? Ross Kemp as Defence Secretary?’ Cricket legend Lord Botham faces social media ridicule after Boris Johnson makes him a trade envoy to Australia as part of post-Brexit push

• Lord Botham has been appointed as a trade envoy to Australia by Boris Johnson
• The former England all-rounder among 10 envoys tasked with fostering links
• The Government has been pushing for closer ties outside of the EU after Brexit 

Cricket legend Lord Botham faced a social media backlash today after he was made a trade envoy to Australia as part of the Government’s post-Brexit push.  

The former England all-rounder said he was ‘honoured’ after being tasked by Boris Johnson with boosting business opportunities.

The 65-year-old, who spent a lot of his career in Australia, is among 10 new envoys appointed by the PM.

The unpaid roles will foster links with countries including Canada, New Zealand, Brazil, Ghana, and Pakistan. 

But the appointment of Lord Botham to the role prompted ridicule from some Twitter users as they questioned his credentials. 

One user tweeted: ‘Who next? Ross Kemp as Defence Secretary? Jim Davidson to the UN? Cast of Emmerdale to Agriculture?’

Meanwhile, some on social media shared excerpts from an interview Lord Botham gave to The Guardian in November 2020 in which he discussed his appointment to the House of Lords. 

He reportedly said: ‘I’m enjoying it and will be at Westminster more often when we get back to normal, especially when they are debating something I know about – like sport or the countryside. Not much point if it’s a trade deal with Japan.’  

Cricket legend Lord Botham has been made a trade envoy to Australia as part of a post-Brexit push

The former all-rounder (pictured playing for England against Australia in 1981) said he was ‘honoured’ after being tasked by Boris Johnson with boosting business opportunities

Lord Botham – Australia

Baroness Hoey – Ghana

Stephen Timms – Switzerland and Lichtenstein

David Mundell – New Zealand

Mark Eastwood – Pakistan

Marco Longhi – Brazil

Conor Burns – Canada

John Woodcock (Lord Walney) – Tanzania

Felicity Buchan – Iceland and Norway

Sir Jeffrey Donaldson – Cameroon (in addition to his role as trade envoy to Egypt) 

International Trade Secretary Liz Truss said she believed Lord Botham will ‘do a brilliant job’ and will ‘bat for British business Down Under’. 

She said: ‘Our Trade Envoys play a key role in delivering our ambitious global trade agenda, and I am delighted the Prime Minister has appointed ten Trade Envoys who will boost opportunities for British businesses in some of the world’s fastest growing markets.

‘By boosting exports, promoting inward investment and creating high-value, high-paying jobs, our Trade Envoys will help us build back better from Covid-19, ensuring every part of the UK benefits from our trade strategy.’

Lord Botham, who backed Brexit and was made a peer last year, said: ‘It’s a great honour to carry out this role in a country that I love and have come to know so well.

‘I have spent a significant amount of my career in Australia, and I am excited to have the opportunity.’

The Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman said: ‘He has business experience in that country, he knows the people well and we’re confident that he can help British businesses sell more products to our Australian counterparts.’ 

Australia’s High Commissioner to the UK, George Brandis, welcomed the appointment. 

He said it was ‘marvellous news’, adding: ‘Australia looks forward to welcoming Lord Botham down under — and to working with him to strengthen the trading links between our two countries.’

Trade expert Sam Lowe, a research fellow at the Centre for European Reform think tank, wrote on Twitter: ‘The role of a trade envoy is to occasionally go abroad and talk up the UK and UK companies (and to make backbenchers feel special). That’s it. It’s fine.’ 

The Government already has Trade Envoys in more than 60 countries.

Mr Johnson pictured talking to Afghan refugees in Downing Street last week

The latest round of appointments include former ministers David Mundell and Conor Burns, as well as Labour’s Stephen Timms and Baroness Hoey and the DUP’s Sir Jeffrey Donaldson. 

The idea is that they build contacts and bang the drum for export and investment opportunities in the allocated market.

As well as famously destroying the Australian national team in the 1981 Ashes, Lord Botham played in the country.

However, his time with the Queensland side ended unhappily in the 1987-88 season after he was fined for an altercation with a passenger on a flight.

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