This is the moment England cricket hero Monty Panesar is stumped by a simple question in a car-crash interview where he admits he doesn’t know what Nato is – despite withdrawal of the alliance being his new party’s top priority.
The new Workers Party of Britain candidate for Southall was revealed by party leader MP George Galloway yesterday morning outside Westminster.
But the new politician, who said he joined the party as both Labour and the Conservatives were simply ‘not helping’, has already run into difficulties after being confused about one of Britain’s most important foreign policy agreements.
In an interview with Times Radio host Stig Abell this morning he said: ‘When it comes to Nato if you ask my opinion, it’s not, like I’m not really an expert I don’t have a lot of knowledge on it, to be honest.
‘Of my brief understanding of Nato, right, it’s there to protect the, you know, the European Union, isn’t it? It’s there to protect, you know, everyone in the European Union.
England cricket hero Monty Panesar was stumped by a simple question in a car-crash interview where he admits he doesn’t know what Nato is – despite withdrawal of the alliance being his new party’s top priority
In an interview with Times Radio host Stig Abell this morning, Mr Panesar said: ‘When it comes to Nato if you ask my opinion, it’s not, like I’m not really an expert I don’t have a lot of knowledge on it, to be honest
‘When it comes to Nato if you ask my opinion, it’s not, like I’m not really an expert I don’t have a lot of knowledge on it, to be honest.’
After host Mr Abell pointed out that leaving Nato was the first point in his new party’s ten point programme to ‘end imperialist wars and financial domination’.
The presenter pointed out that leaving the north atlantic military alliance, seen by some as the most successful military alliance in history, was quite a ‘big deal’ during a time of global conflict.
Mr Panesar then gave a rambling reply about immigration, despite Nato not being an agreement on immigration, as well as his party plan making no mention of immigration in its 10 point plan.
He said: ‘I think the reason they’re saying that, the reason our party is saying it, right, is because we don’t really have control on our borders, right?
‘We have illegal migration. And then what ends up happening is some of these illegal migrants that go into the more poorer, deprived areas, and then the resources get strained in them areas.
Leader of the Workers Party of Britain George Galloway (R) looks on as former England cricketer Monty Panesar (C) addresses fellow party candidates in Parliament Square yesterday
Former England cricketer Monty Panesar (back right) attends a news conference with George Galloway MP to announce the 200 candidates running at the next general election
‘And it affects, you know, the ordinary people, you know, our working people in this country. So it affects the poorest. And I think that’s one of the reasons, you know, our party wants to maybe, you know, have a debate about is it really necessary to be in Nato or not.’
According to the The Workers Party of Britain website, it is a socialist organisation.
It states: ‘The Workers Party stands on principles and will not give these up, one by one, in the misplaced hope of a truce with our enemy.
‘The Workers Party stands with all those that have attempted to break free of imperialist domination and build a different kind of world. We defend the achievements of the USSR, China, Cuba etc, not least the debt owed by humanity to the Soviet Union and Red Army in their war of liberation against German fascism.
‘Our finest hour as a nation was when we stood side by side with Soviet Russia and defeated German Nazism.
‘We categorically reject the attempt by the ruling class, its paid agents and the EU imperialist bloc to rewrite history so as to equate the Soviet Union with Hitlerite Germany. We shall defend the positive historical legacy of the Soviet Union as well as all those today who struggle for socialism; for an alternative world order.’
The 41-year old was born in Luton to Indian parents, before going on to play for England from 2006-2013
Panesar told MailOnline he is standing because the public ‘are not getting fair treatment and I’m tired of seeing the poorest people in the country being affected the most
English cricketing hero Monty Panesar is set to stand for the Workers’ Party at the next General Election. Pictured at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 2013
Queen Elizabeth II met Panesar after having watched a performance by nutkhut, a London-based British-Indian dance company
Panesar, 41 was born in Luton to Indian Sikh parents, before going on to play for England from 2006-2013.
He was part of the team that made it to victory in the 2009 Ashes Series and took 167 Test wickets during his career.
Panesar’s last international series was against Australia in the 2013-14 Ashes, but he has not played professionally since leaving Northamptonshire in 2016.
Although never formally announcing retirement, after leaving cricket in 2016 he went on the study sports journalism at St Mary’s University, London, and is currently a freelance journalist and writer.
However, in December it was announced that he had signed with the East Anglian Premier League side Great Witchingham, in Norfolk for their 2024 campaign.