Why sportspeople should stick to the pitch and stay out of politics | Andrew Anthony

Former England cricketer Monty Panesar is to stand for parliament, but he doesn't seem to know what his own policies are

There's an old adage that says sport and politics don't mix. It's a moot point with persuasive arguments on both sides. But in light of former England spin bowler Monty Panesar's jaw-dropping radio interview last week as George Galloway's Workers Party of Britain's prospective candidate for Ealing Southall, west London, in thenext election, perhaps a more pertinent question is whether sportspeople and politics are a propitious union.

Panesar, once described as the best finger spinner in the world", was asked about the party's commitment to leave Nato, which is one of its key policies. He admitted that he didn't have a deep knowledge" of Nato but explained that his party wanted to quit the military alliance to prevent illegal immigration.