For too long politicians from both parties have treated sport as an afterthought. When will Westminster get the message?

18 December 2023, 09:54

No one in British public life leaves you with your head placed firmly in your hands quite like a politician. Now, for a second, picture a politician talking about sport and the utter despair is multiplied by 10.

Enter stage left Thangam Debbonaire, Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and SPORT. Last week she spoke to LBC’s Nick Ferrari at Breakfast and the tail end of the interview went something like this:

NF: ‘Who are you going to vote for (in this year’s Sports Personality of the Year)?’.

TD: ‘I’m not yet decided. I’m going to have a think about it because there’s a lot of competition’.

NF: ‘I just wondered who your vote might go towards?’.

TD: ‘Well I don’t want to give that away just yet because the ballot box is secret’.

NF: ‘How many of the nominees do you know Thangam?’.

TD: ‘Know personally?’.

NF: ‘No how many could you name?’.

TD: ‘No I’m going to keep coy about that. I’m very good at giving away the game and I don’t want to give away the game’.

Oh dear. The short answer as to why Ms Debbonaire wanted to ‘keep coy’ about who she will vote for in this year’s SPOTY is she doesn’t have a scooby doo who the nominations are. This is the same politician who only months ago admitted to have never attended a football or rugby game.

Let me remind you that Thangam Debbonaire is Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and SPORT.

Not only is it her job to have a basic understanding of the key players in the industry she’s supposed to represent but what’s particularly disgraceful is that one of the candidates Ms Debbonaire couldn’t name is England’s Women’s World Cup superstar Mary Earps.

Labour have made a big thing about their plans for equal access to sport in schools. What an opportunity then for the Shadow Sports Secretary to use Ms Earps’ nomination to champion all the great work the Lioness has done to inspire young girls to succeed in football.

Opportunity missed.

But let this not be a character assassination of Minister Debbonaire. She is after all not unique in neglecting the sport in her rather baggy job title.

Her Conservative counterpart Lucy Frazer was equally stumped by Nick back in September when asked which team she’d prefer to see England play in the Quarter Finals of the Rugby World Cup.

The choice for Ms Frazer was between Fiji or Wales. Again, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and SPORT could not answer!

Another own goal.

And then there’s David (now Lord) Cameron, admittedly not a minister in the same department but who famously told an audience in South London, during his time as PM, that he supported West Ham despite previously claiming to be a lifelong supporter of Aston Villa.

No excuse that both teams wear claret and blue.

To Ms Debbonaire, Ms Frazer and Lord Cameron I say….do not forget how much Britain loves its sport! The nation is so often tied together by big sporting occasions.

Take England versus Italy in the Euro 2020 final, the most-watched event in UK broadcast history with TV viewing figures of over 31 million.

That’s support political parties could only dream of.

Football, in particular, defines towns and cities up and down the UK. It’s the distraction that gets so many of us through the week.

It’s time for Westminster to wake up and reflect the country’s passion for the beautiful game.

I’ve never subscribed to the view that MPs are detached from the real world but if ministers continue to treat sport as an afterthought then expect that narrative to prevail.

Britain needs politicians who don’t just stick to politics.