At an event on the floor of Labour conference today, featuring
, Gary Neville, and in their first joint public
appearance, Labour will confirm its commitment to an independent
statutory regulator for football.
Despite cross-party consensus that has built up over the last few
years, with the collapse of Bury, and Derby County and Oldham
being pushed to the brink, the Government has reportedly dropped
plans for an independent football regulator, hoping instead that
football bodies will come up with their own solution.
Football clubs are great sources of pride in our towns and reform
is an important issue for communities, particularly across the
North and Midlands.
Labour will warn that the failure to come to an agreement on fair
financial support for the pyramid is making the case for
regulation even stronger.
Speaking ahead of the event, Labour’s Shadow Culture
Secretary said:
“Football brings our country together. Clubs are at the heart of
communities, and great sources of identity and pride in our
towns.
“The meteoric rise of the Premier League has put English football
at the top of the world, but the benefits are not being fairly
shared in the football pyramid. Without financial oversight and
regulation, many clubs have been left open to transient owners
taking big gambles with their club’s future. Despite bigger
revenues than ever coming in to football, the financial
sustainability of the pyramid has never been more at risk.
“The Government is abandoning the football community,
particularly across the North and Midlands which are calling out
for reform. Labour will legislate for an independent regulator to
safeguard the long-term sustainability of football.”
Ends
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