News

Good lord! Could United boss Alex Ferguson be made a top toff?

How Sir Alex might look in the House of Lords, in a picture mocked up by the M.E.N

United manager Alex Ferguson should be made the first football lord, says a Manchester MP.

Graham Stringer, MP for Blackley and Broughton, said it was ‘ludicrous’ there were no ex-footballers or managers in the House of Lords.

And he claimed lifelong Labour supporter Sir Alex was the perfect candidate.

Mr Stringer – a United fan – claims the upper chamber has become stuffed with actors, novelists and other highbrow celebrities, while ignoring stars of the people’s game.

He said: "It wasn’t until the late 1960s that Matt Busby and Alf Ramsey became the first football knights. It is now time for a football Lord.

"There has been no more successful manager at the top level than Sir Alex Ferguson.

"He should be the first football Lord. It would recognise his achievements and the national importance of football. And it would be the first good reason not to abolish the place.

"Why are actors and novelists more appropriate for the House of Lords than footballers?"

A United spokesman said: "It sounds like an interesting idea – woe betide anyone who falls asleep during a parliamentary session."

Sir Alex, who grew up in a Glasgow tenement the son of a shipbuilder, has always expressed a strong interest in politics.

In 2005, he said: "I always have and always will vote Labour."

Former prime minister Tony Blair revealed how he had sought Sir Alex’s advice about Gordon Brown, asking him what he would do with a star player who would not do what his was told.

Fergie reportedly replied: "Chuck him out."

Sir Alex has also dipped his toe into local politics – famously urging the people of Greater Manchester to vote for a congestion charge in a referendum in December 2008.

The plans were roundly rejected by the public and later scrapped.

Mr Stringer has long called for the abolition of the House of Lords, which scrutinises the laws made by MPs in the Commons.

The Labour party abolished hereditary peers in 1999 and created many life peerages – but campaigners have been calling for further reforms.

Under coalition plans, the Lords will be wholly or mainly elected, using proportional representation.

Comments

Login or Register to comment

Will he (PLEASE!) take that wad of gum out of his face if he is elevated to the Lords?

Report This Reply

He already is Top's and certainly the best there is already when it comes to titles!!.

Report This Reply

Here Here!

Report This Reply

Dont they all p--- in the same pot !!!!, what about the lollypop and dinner ladies at schools who do there work far better than overpaid and overated football oersonell and bent politicians.

Report This Reply View reply

He is well deserving of a Lordship! More so than the plethora of self serving political parasites that fill the Lords chamber every day (sorry!....every week if they can be bothered turning up for anything other than their bloated expenses claim).

Report This Reply

Lord Ferguson. I like the sound of that.

Report This Reply

Please no!!!!

Report This Reply View all 2 replies

Surely Sir Ryan first.

Report This Reply View reply

Where's his crown ?

Report This Reply

It's "udicrous" that there are no ex-footballers or managers in The House of Lords?

Report This Reply

Why not just make him King of Scotland, deport him to Scotland and be done with it.

Report This Reply View reply

Sir Alex Ferguson, Lord of all Manchester !

Report This Reply View all 4 replies

Lord help us!

Report This Reply View all 2 replies

MORE TRIPE

Report This Reply

Lord Ferguson of Govan - I like the sound of it!

Report This Reply

am sure from the comfort of his £8m a year contract at United, his often voiced directives that we should all pay more tax to help the poor will have been thoroughly endorsed by all of us on normal salaries.

Still it's good to know that despite having tens of millions in the bank and being surrounded by multi-millionaire teenagers and £250k a week Rooney, he sees himself fit and proper to tell the rest of us how to vote.

He is clearly completely in touch with the real world and has a totally unbiased perspective on life - he should actually fit in very well in the Lords.

Blair gave him a knighthood to kow-tow to what he thought was popular opinion of the football-supporting masses. Just like when he was in Newcastle and claimed to have memories of watching Jackie Milburn (who retired before Blair was born). Now stringer is trying to pull the same trick.

Nauseating.

Report This Reply View all 4 replies

Why should he be made a peer?

He has done nothing to en-rich my life and many others i know. There are far more deserving people out there.

Report This Reply View all 7 replies

Little wonder people are not voting for the Labour Party these days....

Report This Reply

*In the tone of The Apprentice*

''Lord Alex, please! I had the chance and I performed! Lord Alex, I won't let you down!'' - Bebe.

Personally I wouldn't have him in there. Not a great person. Then again, neither is Sugar.

Report This Reply

If the champagne socialist does eventually sit in The Lords then all we would hear is the sound of snoring instead of his habitual moaning and ranting. When debates go into extra time he could have Gary Snivelle running in front of the opposition benches doing star jumps.

Report This Reply

Lord? How about scrapping these unelected toffs and allow the people to elect their upper house instead. Lords have no democratic mandate whatsoever.

Report This Reply View all 2 replies

What a ridiculous tax funded old boys drinking club............and they get a say in the laws of the land? Madness.

Fergie for Pm, abolish the monarchy and increase VAt to 95% on blue football shirts.

Report This Reply

Mr Stringer is a Manchester MP. Why is he sticking his nose into Stretford matters?


Report This Reply View reply

what about Lord Ocean Finance, that has a good ring to it....

Report This Reply View all 2 replies

I can't believe it! The bitterest fans on the planet don't want him as a Lord. Amazing.

Report This Reply View reply