Maro Itoje eyes politics: ‘Opportunity to effect real change is attractive’
England, Saracens and British and Irish Lions captain Maro Itoje has talked up his interest in a career in politics when he hangs up his rugby boots.
Itoje, 30, discussed his post-playing ambitions in an appearance on the Rest Is Politics podcast with Westminster veterans Alastair Campbell and Rory Stewart.
“It’s something that is of deep interest to me. I have so many interests and I think I could have gone any which way but one of them was and is politics,” he said.
“I’m not putting anything off the table. The opportunity to effect real change, to put legislation in place for the betterment of society is a very attractive one, although it has its drawbacks as well.”
Asked if he might prefer to follow other famous athletes into sports politics, like Lord Coe, Itoje said: “Potentially, but I’m actually more attracted to real politics.”
He added: “What I want to do is look positively forward into the future and throw all of myself into what happens next. That’s what I will try and do but it’s easier said than done.”
Itoje: We forget how powerful the UK is
It isn’t the first time that Itoje has spoken of his ambitions in politics, in which he has a degree, although he is also active in charity and business, and has an MBA.
“I’m a man of faith, I’m a Christian, so that always gives me hope. In the last 18 months or so I’ve become deeper and deeper in that faith,” he said.
“Despite the challenges that we face, I think this is a great country that has a lot of opportunities and it’s a place where you’d rather be if you had to roll the dice, because of the opportunity, rule of law, the economy.
“Sometimes we forget that as a nation and how powerful we are. Obviously if you compare it to 100 years ago you would say it’s dwindling but as of today it’s a nation that many other parts of the world would dream of.”