In this week’s edition of In Search of West Indies Cricket, Roger Seymour continues his initial look at the controversial subject of apartheid and cricket.
Robin Jackman having been declared persona non grata in Guyana while on tour here with the England team, the matter was raised at Prime Minister’s Questions (weekly press conference of UK’s PM), on February 26, 1981. Here’s a copy of the Briefing Paper prepared for then PM Margaret Thatcher.
“ENGLAND CRICKET TOUR TO THE WEST INDIES
POINTS TO MAKE
HMG’s attitude
- The government [is] naturally very concerned that there should be any unpleasantness over the English Cricket tour of the West Indies. We support most strongly the right of the English selectors, or any other of our governing bodies of sport, to select their own teams without interference. We believe there must be some misunderstanding in the West Indies over the terms of the Commonwealth Statement as it relates to cases like that of Robin Jackman. I understand that ministers there may be having second thoughts and we must hope that diplomacy and good sense prevail.