Former Durham and England cricket legend Lord Botham appointed trade envoy to Australia

Ian Botham takes his seat in the House of Lords Credit: PA Archive/PA Images

Former England cricket captain Lord Botham has been appointed by the Government as a trade envoy to Australia.

Lord Botham has been announced as one of 10 trade envoys the Government hopes will help in “delivering an ambitious global trade agenda”.

The peer, who was ennobled last year by the Prime Minister, led the England test cricket team between 1980 and 1981, including in two Ashes series against Australia.

The other nine new envoys are all parliamentarians, sitting in either the House of Lords or as MPs, and have been selected from across different political parties.

Lord Botham Credit: Mike Egerton/PA

International Trade Secretary Liz Truss said Lord Botham would “bat for British business Down Under”.

She added: “Our trade envoys play a key role in delivering our ambitious global trade agenda, and I am delighted the Prime Minister has appointed 10 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.”

Alongside Lord Botham’s appointment as trade envoy to Australia, Former Labour MP and now non-affiliated peer Baroness Hoey has been appointed to Ghana, Stephen Timms MP (Labour) has been appointed to Switzerland and Liechtenstein, David Mundell MP (Conservative) has been appointed to New Zealand and Mark Eastwood MP (Conservative) has been appointed to Pakistan.

Baroness Hoey Credit: Brian Lawless/PA

Marco Longhi MP (Conservative) has been appointed to Brazil, Conor Burns MP (Conservative) has been appointed to Canada, non-affiliated peer Lord Walney, John Woodcock, has been appointed to Tanzania, Felicity Buchan MP (Conservative) has been appointed to Iceland and Norway, and Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP (DUP) has been appointed to Cameroon, in addition to his role as Prime Minister’s trade envoy to Egypt.

The roles are all unpaid and voluntary and bring the total number of trade envoys who help support the UK Government’s “trade and investment agenda” to 36, covering 76 different countries.

Trade policy minister Greg Hands said: “From Norway to New Zealand, Pakistan to Brazil, our trade envoys will help increase UK trade with some of the world’s most exciting and dynamic markets and showcase the UK as a great place to invest.”

Lord Botham has been a critic of the EU in the past, and supported the campaign to leave the trading bloc in 2016.