Jack CunninghamMinister for Cabinet Office 59Excessively tanned Fined for speeding 103 mph in 1989 Weirdly chronically and morbidly keen
Jack CunninghamMinister for Cabinet Office, 59Excessively tanned Fined for speeding (103 mph) in 1989 Weirdly, chronically and morbidly keen on fishing in Norway Possible herring addict.8. Chris SmithCulture Secretary, 47Outed, while still at Cambridge, as a committed, shameless and prosyletising mountain-climber Also keen on dangerous “rocks” Only MP to have climbed all 280 Munros in Scotland. Cruises with Radical Ramblers and Red Rope left-wing climbing cabals.9. Ron DaviesFormer Welsh Secretary, 52Recently revealed unhealthy past interest in wearing ludicrous, Druid- style head-dress. Circe-like, drives men mad with loveliness of legs, suits, hair, firm smack of discipline, etc.4. Donald DewarScottish Secretary, 61Chronic dyslexic, who once spelt “Garibaldi” five different ways in a school essay, all of them wrong. Obsessively intones mystical Buddhist mantra “hrrrrr-um” while speaking.
Has to take special “exercises” for right leg to combat extra vertebra in spine, or so he says.5. Clare ShortInternational DevelopmentSecretary, 52Keen advocate of cannabis legalisation Alarmingly keen on smoking cheroots Tends to mislay children for several years Likes a drink or two.3. Anne TaylorChief Whip, 51Keeps being named “Sexiest MP” by lobby correspondents. Before last weekend, described as “political junkie with no wife and kids to distract him”.
1. Nick Brown
Agriculture Minister, 48
Ex-advertising man at Procter & Gamble. Known as “Newcastle Brown”, and “Spike” after nasty bulldog in Tom and Jerry cartoon. The opening first-class match will be against Griqualand West on Saturday, with the first Test starting on 26 November.England on rack, page 25. He said: “I don’t think we really know the reasons behind it. It’s all very well to say it’s a pay dispute, but there’s obviously more to it than meets the eye or otherwise the cricketers wouldn’t have been so solid in their stand against it.”The tour was initially thrown into doubt when Lara was dismissed last Wednesday.
He stayed in London with eight other members of the West Indies squad, including Adams and the WIPA president, Courtney Walsh, while the other seven of the original touring party left South Africa to join them in London in a show of solidarity.The delayed arrival of the West Indies side in South Africa has caused the postponement of the first match, a charity game against Nicky Oppenheimer’s XI. It’s the final stamp of approval to have the West Indies in South Africa. Also it’s a tremendous draw card for the children of Africa to have their mentors over here.”Woolmer doubted that the tour had been thrown into jeopardy was over a “misunderstanding”. “For South African cricket, it’s a culmination of all the Test-playing sides since the unification of cricket in South Africa.
Rousseau said that cost would not be covered by the WICB.In a joint statement the WICB and the West Indies Players’ Association said: “Both parties recognise the historical and social significance of the South African tour and appreciate the high expectations of everyone in the Caribbean, South Africa and around the world.”That point was acknowledged by South Africa’s coach, Bob Woolmer, who was relieved the tour would go ahead.”It’s obviously for the whole country a very important tour and it would have left a void had the West Indies not come,” he said. Ali Bacher, the managing director of the United Cricket Board of South Africa, had arrived on Friday, armed with a letter from President Mandela to attempt to iron out the problems. But the West Indies players remained adamant that Lara and Hooper should return to their former jobs and the tour proceed with them at the helm.The West Indies players had been camped in a Heathrow hotel for a week while the dispute rumbled on. The rooms cost pounds 150 per night, and other expenses were incurred. We just kept meeting and talking until we felt the position could be settled Any dispute must have some spill-over effect. The WICB also promised to “take all practical steps” to improve the remuneration of players on future tours.He said Lara’s sacking last week was the result of a “misunderstanding” over permission to travel and a subsequent request to attend a meeting in London.
