Football fans being betrayed by ’Tory time-wasting’ over independent regulator

Shadow Sports Secretary Thangam Debbonaire said that the joy of the game has been ’diluted with worry about troubles off the pitch’ after delays to promised reforms

Football fans are being betrayed by Tory time-wasting over a promised independent regulator, Labour warns today.

Shadow Sports Secretary Thangam Debbonaire said that the joy of the game has been "diluted with worry about troubles off the pitch" after delays to reforms. The Government has drawn up legislation that would grant powers to an independent body to oversee clubs in England’s top five men’s tiers. 

But Labour has raised questions over whether it will become law before the election after repeated delays. The Football Governance Bill was finally introduced to Parliament last month but no date has been set for second reading.

In an open letter to fans today, Ms Debbonaire said: "For too long the intense buzz, pure joy (and sometimes gut-punching loss) felt in the all-encompassing emotions of a football match has been diluted with worry about troubles off the pitch.

"Whether you’re Wigan, Wednesday, West Brom or a fan of any other number of other clubs which have suffered financial mismanagement, you’ll know how this feels. You deserve better."

She added: "Labour is calling on the Government to bring the Bill forward without delay. We mustn’t allow clubs pushed to the brink unnecessarily because the Tories allowed this to be delayed even further."

Last month, Rishi Sunak said the Bill was "a historic moment for football fans" after some clubs had been "abused by unscrupulous owners who get away with financial mismanagement, which at worst can lead to complete collapse - as we saw in the upsetting cases of Bury and Macclesfield Town."

The legislation came following a fan-led review, which said an independent regulator was necessary after the furore over the breakaway European Super League plan and issues of financial mismanagement. Everton and Nottingham Forest have both had points deducted this season for breaches of Premier League profit and sustainability rules (PSR). 

Read the letter to fans in full

Dear football fan,

Football brings us together. We watch with our families and friends, at the local, in the stands or in our living rooms. We cheer and chant with strangers in stadiums and sit on the edge of our seats together as a nation in hope. We shouldn’t and Labour won’t take this spirit of togetherness and the magic of football for granted.

For too long the intense buzz, pure joy (and sometimes gut-punching loss) felt in the all-encompassing emotions of a football match has been diluted with worry about troubles off the pitch. Whether you’re Wigan, Wednesday, West Brom or a fan of any other number of other clubs which have suffered financial mismanagement, you’ll know how this feels. You deserve better.

Labour has long supported football reform. We want fans to have a greater say in the way their clubs are run. But we can’t do this alone. Whether you’re a season ticket-holding, fanzine-reading super supporter or a follow the scores, get-to-a-game-when-you-can fan. Your views matter.

As the Football Governance Bill makes its way through Parliament, and when the Independent Football Regulator is established, I will seek to give fans a greater voice in the running of their clubs. Labour also supports strengthening owners’ and directors’ tests and promoting overall financial sustainability in the game.

Our football leads the world. In every continent our matches are watched, club shirts worn, and players admired. We must preserve and attract further international investment and remain competitive with our rivals. I’m committed to making sure we remain at the top of world football.

Labour wants to see this new law passed as soon as possible but the Government is sitting on its hands and still hasn’t set a date for when MPs will hold the first debate on it in the House of Commons.

Labour is calling on the Government to bring the Bill forward without delay. We mustn’t allow clubs pushed to the brink unnecessarily because the Tories allowed this to be delayed even further. 

With every best wish,

Thangam Debbonaire MP

Labour’s Shadow Sport Secretary

Thomas Brown