Will Jeremy Clarkson be the next Cycling UK president?

Today, Cycling UK confirmed rumours that it is considering TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson as a potential candidate for its president.  

Clarkson famously presented BBC 2’s flagship show Top Gear until recently when he left under a shadow of controversy. He is now understood to be looking for a new job and direction in his future career, with current propositions including working for the Russian armed forces TV.

Cycling UK Chief Executive Paul Tuohy, recently explained in his spring update that the national cycling charity is looking at its brand and image, and how to communicate what it is and does to support cycling for all.  

Part of this process, following Cycling UK’s announcement of Clarkson's candidacy for new president, now appears to be looking into who would replace the well-known cycling champion and Channel 4 news anchor, Jon Snow.

Working with the UK’s leading cycling charity could present an ideal shift in direction for Mr Clarkson."

A Cycling UK spokesperson said: “We’d like to remind the UK public that bikes have ‘top gears’ too and working with the UK’s leading cycling charity could present an ideal shift in direction for Mr Clarkson.

“Cycling UK believes his unique style would resonate with our current membership, and that under his presidency we could reach a new and hitherto unreached audience for our leading campaigns, Space for Cycling and Road Justice.”

Now that Mr Clarkson is likely to be free over the summer, Cycling UK hopes that he might also lead all 64 stages (6,800 km) of The Great Tour, for which the charity is lead sponsor.

It appears Cycling UK sees Clarkson and his affiliation with the wider motoring public in the UK and globally, as a perfect means to convey its messaging on the need for national design standards in cycling infrastructure, ambitious targets for cycle growth and funding of at least £10 per head as outlined by the All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group’s Get Britain Cycling inquiry.

Not all Cycling UK members are happy about replacing Snow for Clarkson, with one member quoted (under condition of anonymity) as saying: “I know that he has the ear of Cameron and has shown he can cycle, but surely this is some kind of joke?”

You can make your views known on this suggestion and wider issues relating to cycling by writing to your prospective parliamentary candidate at: www.cyclinguk.org.uk/clarkson-for-president.

[UPDATE: Please note the date when this article was published!]