Uri Geller offers UK govt his 'psychic powers' in job bid

Uri Geller revealed Wednesday he has applied to work for the British government after Prime Minister Boris Johnson's chief adviser called for "weirdos and misfits" to apply for jobs.

In an application sent to Johnson's unorthodox top aide Dominic Cummings, the British-Israeli spoon-bender offered up the use of his "genuine psychic powers".

"You say you want someone on the 'frontiers of the science of prediction'? Well look no further," Geller, 73, wrote in a cover letter seen by AFP which begins "Dear Dom".

"I have genuine psychic powers -- just ask Mossad, the CIA and the Pentagon," he added, referring to longstanding claims he has worked for US and Israeli intelligence services.

"I am currently busy organizing the opening of The Uri Geller Museum in Israel but would consider a move back to Britain for the right position," the British-Israeli illusionist said.

- 'Weirdos, misfits, odd skills' -

Cummings last week released a 3,000-word post on his personal blog detailing what he said was the need to diversify the skills and backgrounds of UK policy makers and advisers.

The controversial adviser, who headed the 2016 referendum campaign for Britain to leave the EU, said the government wanted to hire "an unusual set of people with different skills and backgrounds".

They include data scientists, software developers, economists, policy experts, project managers, communications experts, as well as "weirdos and misfits with odd skills".

The appeal resonated with Geller, an apparent Johnson supporter and a close friend of the singer Michael Jackson.

In December, he claimed to have helped the prime minister retain power by giving him a spoon fused with "positive energy" which had belonged to former Israeli leader Golda Meir.

In his job pitch, which included an endorsement from current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Geller touted his varied life experience.

He claimed his career as an entertainer -- featuring trademark TV performances of spoon bending and other illusions -- had actually been "the perfect mask" for espionage work.

"In my intelligence work I assisted with Operation Desert Storm, helped to locate secret tunnels in North Korea and used my skills to erase crucial diplomatic discs on their way to Moscow," he wrote.

"While many have doubted my abilities, my achievements cannot be dismissed as trickery or illusions."

Geller suggested his talents could be deployed as Britain enters a year of likely tough negotiations with the European Union over their post-Brexit trading relationship.

"I attended nuclear disarmament negotiations with Russia, bombarding their chief negotiator with positive thought waves so that the Soviet delegation would sign the Nuclear Arms Reduction Treaty," he noted.

"Perhaps you could have used my abilities in your dealings with Michel Barnier," Geller added, referring to the EU's chief Brexit negotiator.

Geller concluded the 264-word letter, accompanied by his resume, by saying: "Thank you for considering me."

The British government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

© 2020 AFP