JACOB Rees-Mogg’s crass comment on Twitter that “we clearly don’t need Europe to win” in reference to England’s win in the Cricket World Cup has backfired spectacularly given the international make-up of the team.

The 15-man squad includes five players born outside the UK, including the Irish-born captain Eoin Morgan. Tom Curran and Jason Roy are originally from South Africa, while Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer, who bowled the super over, were born in New Zealand and Barbados respectively. In addition, Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid are the grandchildren of Pakistani immigrants and both belong to the Mirpuri community.

So the team was captained by an immigrant, with batting led by an immigrant, the fastest bowler an immigrant, the leading all-rounder an immigrant and the main spinner the son of an immigrant.

Perhaps instead of making a silly Brextremist point Mr Mogg could have offered congratulations to the Irish captain, the New Zealand-born Man of the Match and the Barbadian bowler who got England over the line.

Alex Orr
Edinburgh