Latest news with #Trumpesque
The Wire
9 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Wire
It's Jay's World
Some of the many frames with Jay Shah in the ICC's congratulatory video over South Africa's trophy win. Sick bag at the ready? I may just have just seen the worst thing ever. Or maybe it was this. The cumulative message is hard to miss. You may have imagined that the World Test Championship final was a soul-stirring triumph for South Africa, a memento mori for Australia, a testament to the red ball cricket's timeless appeal, or whatever. But the ICC has news: it was all just a Trumpesque parade for ICC chairman Jay Shah, whose personal videographer was on hand to capture him receiving homage in Peckinpahesque slow motion. As one commenter put it. Mind you, let's not forget the co-stars. No, I don't mean Pat Cummins and Temba Bavuma, diminished as they are: the ECB's Richard Thompson surely deserves an Oscar for Best Supporting Sycophant. And gosh, you must feel for Marylebone CC chairman Mark Nicholas. On the eve of the Test, he had hosted select invitees to the club's grand global conference, World Cricket Connects – an imaginative initiative, in the storied expanse of the Long Room at Lord's. Lauding the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Nicholas had charmed Shah onto the organising committee and into delivering the opening address. You might think something a bit weird about the ICC chairman joining a committee aspiring to advise the ICC chairman, but whatever – anything's worth a shot. Then Shah pulled out. Speakers soon began heaping up cricket's challenges: the paucity of strategic thought, the gross inequalities, the confused and distended schedule. There was lots of good stuff, in a spirit of goodwill. But the elephant in the room was….well, not in the room. Or maybe, as Andy Bull put it, the room was in the elephant. The two days of discussion were finally reduced to a terse communique. Which says something. We might well perceive a game in crisis. But as far as the BCCI is concerned, there's nothing much to worry about. They're minting it. They're winning stuff. They run the joint and call the tune. Crisis? What crisis? How can the game be in disarray and the system be 'broken' when it works so well for the world's biggest cricket economy? That's no burning platform; that's a barbecue pit. Shah, meanwhile, is having the time of his life, cocooned in ICC-funded comfort and luxury, feted wherever he goes by a conga line of suckholes, wondering why people can't be more interigent, rike he is. There's no mystery about where such elite shamelessness and impunity comes from – it's inherited. His loathsome dad responds to a mass calamity with a 'shit happens' shrug. So Shah's treating cricket as a vehicle for self-aggrandising photo ops is only to be expected. But that's no reason for the rest of us to collude in the fantasy that cricket is best led by a monomaniac political scion, and that the ICC's other directors aren't abasing themselves into the bargain. This article first appeared on Gideon Haigh's Substack, Cricket Et Al and has been republished with permission. Gideon Haigh has been a journalist for almost four decades, has published more than 40 books and contributed to more than 100 newspapers and magazines. He is also co-host of the podcast Cricket, Et Cetera. The Wire is now on WhatsApp. Follow our channel for sharp analysis and opinions on the latest developments.
Scotsman
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Scotsman
Defected Lib Dem MSP Jamie Green writes to thousands of 'scunnered' Tor voters to follow him
Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Liberal Democrat defected MSP Jamie Greene has written to thousands of former Conservative voters - calling on those left 'politically homeless and scunnered' to abandon Russell Findlay for his new party. Mr Greene quit the Scottish Tories last month before being unveiled by Ed Davey at the Scottish Lib Dems conference in Inverness as having switched to the party. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Jamie Greene (left) with Lib Dems leader Alex Cole-Hamilton | Jane Barlow/PA Wire In his scathing resignation letter to Mr Findlay, Mr Greene accused the Scottish Tories of pursuing a 'Reform-lite agenda that appeals to the worst of our society'. Now, in a letter being sent to voters previously having voted Conservative, seen by The Scotsman, Mr Greene has called on those concerned about Mr Findlay shifting towards a 'Trumpesque' agenda to turn to what he claims is the Scottish Liberal Democrats' 'positive and inclusive' vision instead. His comments come as the Liberal Democrats are expected to take scores of seats from the Conservatives at local elections south of the Border. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The letter states that when he stood for the Tories under Ruth Davidson in 2016, the party was 'decent, welcoming, aspirational and could be trusted with the economy', but he adds that he is 'sad to say that's all gone'. Mr Greene added: 'The party in which I once found a home has been reduced to Reform-lite. Its agenda is Trumpesque in style and substance. It talks about what it stands against, but has little to say about what it stands for. Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay | PA 'Most importantly, the broad church it was once shifted further and further to the right, alienating many of its members, voters and in my case its elected representatives.' Mr Greene has warned that he simply 'couldn't go on', insisting that the Lib Dems are 'upbeat and positive'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He added: 'They believe in decency and respect in public life. Getting things done for our local communities is their bread and butter. That's what politics is all about, after all. Getting stuff done.' In an appeal to Tory voters who will be put off by any shift to the right, Mr Greene said: 'If you feel like I did, politically homeless and scunnered with the Scottish Conservatives, do something about it. Come and join me in the Scottish Liberal Democrats and you will be made to feel most welcome I assure you. 'The language of far-right division doesn't make peoples' lives better. It won't make Scotland and its communities any better. A positive and inclusive platform does.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Greene's intervention comes amid speculation another Tory MSP could join the LibDems. Read more: Jamie Greene joins Scottish Liberal Democrats after quitting Conservatives The Scottish Sun reported that Lib Dems leader Alex Cole-Hamilton was spotted sharing Indian food and beers with Tory backbencher Maurice Golden, amid rumours he could follow Mr Greene. The meeting came after The Scotsman revealed Mr Golden laid into Mr Findlay's opposition to net zero, accusing his party leader of 'dismantling the Ruth Davidson era in a cheap way to mimic Reform'. Mr Golden has denied he is poised to join the Lib Dems. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A Scottish Conservatives spokesperson said: 'The man who enthusiastically campaigned and voted for Nicola Sturgeon's gender reforms can send as many letters as he wants. We'll post them for him. 'Not a single pro-UK voter will be persuaded by someone who thinks the SNP are right on so many critical issues
Scotsman
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Scotsman
Turncoat Lib Dem MSP Jamie Green writes to thousands of 'scunnered' Tor voters to follow him
Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Liberal Democrat turncoat MSP Jamie Greene has written to thousands of former Conservative voters - calling on those left 'politically homeless and scunnered' to abandon Russell Findlay for his new party. Mr Greene quit the Scottish Tories last month before being unveiled by Ed Davey at the Scottish Lib Dems conference in Inverness as having switched to the party. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Jamie Greene (left) with Lib Dems leader Alex Cole-Hamilton | Jane Barlow/PA Wire In his scathing resignation letter to Mr Findlay, Mr Greene accused the Scottish Tories of pursuing a 'Reform-lite agenda that appeals to the worst of our society'. Now, in a letter being sent to voters previously having voted Conservative, seen by The Scotsman, Mr Greene has called on those concerned about Mr Findlay shifting towards a 'Trumpesque' agenda to turn to what he claims is the Scottish Liberal Democrats' 'positive and inclusive' vision instead. His comments come as the Liberal Democrats are expected to take scores of seats from the Conservatives at local elections south of the Border. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The letter states that when he stood for the Tories under Ruth Davidson in 2016, the party was 'decent, welcoming, aspirational and could be trusted with the economy', but he adds that he is 'sad to say that's all gone'. Mr Greene added: 'The party in which I once found a home has been reduced to Reform-lite. Its agenda is Trumpesque in style and substance. It talks about what it stands against, but has little to say about what it stands for. Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay | PA 'Most importantly, the broad church it was once shifted further and further to the right, alienating many of its members, voters and in my case its elected representatives.' Mr Greene has warned that he simply 'couldn't go on', insisting that the Lib Dems are 'upbeat and positive'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad He added: 'They believe in decency and respect in public life. Getting things done for our local communities is their bread and butter. That's what politics is all about, after all. Getting stuff done.' In an appeal to Tory voters who will be put off by any shift to the right, Mr Greene said: 'If you feel like I did, politically homeless and scunnered with the Scottish Conservatives, do something about it. Come and join me in the Scottish Liberal Democrats and you will be made to feel most welcome I assure you. 'The language of far-right division doesn't make peoples' lives better. It won't make Scotland and its communities any better. A positive and inclusive platform does.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Greene's intervention comes amid speculation another Tory MSP could join the LibDems. Read more: Jamie Greene joins Scottish Liberal Democrats after quitting Conservatives The Scottish Sun reported that Lib Dems leader Alex Cole-Hamilton was spotted sharing Indian food and beers with Tory backbencher Maurice Golden, amid rumours he could follow Mr Greene. The meeting came after The Scotsman revealed Mr Golden laid into Mr Findlay's opposition to net zero, accusing his party leader of 'dismantling the Ruth Davidson era in a cheap way to mimic Reform'. Mr Golden has denied he is poised to join the Lib Dems.
