Labor is calling on the UK government to urgently introduce an independent regulator for football, or opposition parties will make it an “election issue” in constituencies with clubs in crisis.
In Thursday's Parliamentary Business Debate, House of Commons Shadow Leader Lucy Powell told the opposition why the Government had yet to bring forward the Football Governance Bill – a formal statement of its intentions – promised in November's King's Speech. asked Penny Mordaunt. Legislative Program.
“The much-needed and long-awaited legislation to regulate English football is still nowhere to be found,” Powell said.
“Just this week, the Premier League shelved a new financial settlement for football, and the English Football League (EFL) is due to respond today. Don't you agree that authority cannot come quickly?
“Fans of Bury, Macclesfield, Derby, Reading, Scunthorpe and Portsmouth want their beloved clubs to be saved.
“If the Conservatives want to make this an election issue in places like this, I say 'do it', because let's be clear: they don't want to regulate the governance of football. If so, we will regulate it.”
As Mr Mordaunt, an MP for Portsmouth and a fan of the football team, is well aware, the six clubs Mr Powell mentioned have all experienced serious financial problems in recent years.
The timing of Mr. Powell's question also requires no further explanation. The Premier League admitted on Monday that it had been unable to agree an improved support package for the EFL and had indefinitely postponed talks on the so-called “Football's New Deal”.
Read about supporters protesting against club ownership (Warren Little/Getty Images)
This was a blow to both the EFL (72 clubs have been waiting for a formal offer from the Premier League for several months) and the government. The hope was that the threat of regulation would be enough to persuade England's top teams. Huge media rights revenue will be further shared with other parts of the game.
However, the Premier League's 20 clubs are so divided on this and other related topics that the league board has not even voted on a new deal.
Mr Powell's call for action was echoed by John Cryer, the Labor MP for Leyton Wanstead in London, who said: The situation will only get worse.
“Could you please bring the estimated bill to the floor as soon as possible?”
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In response, Mr Mordaunt reminded Mr Powell that the Government had “launched” a “program of work” that would lead to the creation of an independent regulator for football, which would lead to a “fan-led review” of the game's governance. This was an important recommendation. It was implemented in 2021 by former sports minister Tracy Crouch.
The decision to review football governance was driven by widespread concern over the number of insolvencies in English football, with fears that there would be more insolvencies during the pandemic, but Mr Crouch's efforts directly impact The impetus was an attempt by the six major Premier League clubs to join the league. The European Super League has left.
Mr Mordaunt told Mr Powell that the government “will soon pass this bill” and added: “It is very important that we bring this bill forward. It needs to be supported by all levels of the football pyramid.” reassured Mr. Cryer.
However, he gave no clue as to when the bill would be introduced, leaving many wondering whether this government still has time to introduce a new bill. With less than two weeks until the Easter break, MPs will not return to Westminster until mid-April.
A Thursday article in Politics Home, a news outlet specializing in the minutiae of Westminster life, understands the government will have time to read and debate the bill in Parliament before the summer recess in late July. said.
The newspaper quoted an unnamed Conservative Party member in a government role as saying: “It doesn't matter whether they (the Premier League) agree with it or not, whether they like it or not. The bill will be brought forward.” Ta.
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(Mike Hewitt/Getty Images)
