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Daily Mirror
12-07-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Tories enjoy Ascot Ladies Day freebies on eve of historic assisted dying vote
Kemi Badenoch's shadow ministers Stuart Andrew, Greg Smith and Louie French were off to the races last month – on the same day Parliament sat miles away in Westminster Kemi Badenoch's Tory shadow ministers were off to the races enjoying Royal Ascot freebies – on the eve of an historic assisted dying vote. Stuart Andrew bagged two tickets with hospitality worth £550 to attend Ladies Day last month. Fellow shadow ministers Greg Smith and Louie French also went despite the daytime event falling when Parliament was sitting. Voters might have expected them to be hard at work in Westminster where debates took place on June 19 — and with MPs backing assisted dying the next day. But smartly-dressed Andrew was pictured glass in hand, enjoying the Ascot jolly. The Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport's partner who posted the image on social media even boasted about it being "the hottest day of the year". It comes after PM Keir Starmer and Labour ministers found themselves under fire last year over taking freebies. Dozens of miles away from Ascot, the Commons had a busy schedule on June 19, meeting at 9.30am and not adjourning until 5.17pm. The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Steve Reed, the Solicitor-General, Lucy Rigby, and the Leader of the House, Lucy Powell, faced statements on UK infrastructure and warm home discount expansion also took place. Later, there was a motion to approve licensing hours for the Women's Euros, as well as debates on incontinence and water safety education. It is not known whether the Tory shadow ministers attended Parliament at all that day but with Ascot's gates opening at 10.30am and races starting at 2.30pm it would have given them little time at their desks. The trio voted against the assisted dying bill the following day. Andrew's tickets with hospitality came courtesy of Ascot Racecourse Ltd, the MPs' register of financial interests shows. His partner, Robin Rogers, deputy chairman for politics at Daventry Conservative Association, posted pictures of the couple on Instagram. He wrote: 'What do you do on the hottest day of the year? [sun emojis] It's obvious isn't it? Get trussed up like a turkey and head for Ascot!!!' With a series of horse and drinks emojis, he added: 'Not complaining today it's the Royal enclosure all the way!!' Shadow Sports Minister Louie French got two tickets 'and lunch with representatives of Ascot and British Horseracing' worth £590 on June 19, thanks to Ascot Racecourse. Tory Shadow Business Minister Greg Smith joined the fun, accepting two tickets worth £590 from Ascot Racecourse Ltd so he and a family member could go on the same day. In an earlier comment piece about assisted dying, Smith argued "we can all agree that the process for introducing such a consequential piece of legislation needs to be rigorous and thorough". And Tory MP and ex-minister Sir John Whittingdale – who also voted against the assisted dying bill – bagged hospitality and two tickets worth £3,600 to attend Ascot on June 19 too, courtesy of the Betting & Gaming Council. Andrew, French, Smith and Sir John were contacted for comment. A Conservative Party Spokesperson said: 'Racing is a valued part of the British economy, supporting 85,000 jobs and generating £4 billion a year. The industry is now under threat from Labour Government red tape and taxes."
Yahoo
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Should football fans be allowed to drink in the stands? Yahoo readers have their say
Yahoo UK's poll of the week lets you vote and indicate your strength of feeling on one of the week's hot topics. After the poll closes, we'll publish and analyse the results each Friday, giving readers the chance to see how polarising a topic has become and if their view chimes with other Yahoo UK readers. Beer and football fans are a common sight in stadiums in countries such as Germany, but a prohibition has been in place in English football for the past 40 years. And that is unlikely to change any time soon, after calls from the Conservatives to consult on the alcohol ban in football stands were rejected by the government. Shadow sport minister Louie French said the modern game now enjoys a "more family-friendly atmosphere" and criticised the current system that "sees fans rushing to drink their beer before kick-off and at half-time, this often leads to the fans being delayed entering the stadiums and overcrowding on the concourses." Sports minister Stephanie Peacock said moves to reverse the prohibition, which has been in place since 1985, do not fall within the scope of the Football Governance Bill, which is poised to become law. MPs voted by 346 to 167, majority 179, against a consultation on ending the stadium alcohol ban across the top five tiers of men's football in England. In our poll earlier this week, Yahoo News UK asked our readers: "Should football fans be allowed to drink in the stands?" It received 1,052 votes and showed a clear majority - 70% - are against it. The poll's Have Your Say feature attracted some passionate comments, with many readers focusing on the potential for trouble in the stands. Nicola H, from Devon, said: "Alcohol and football are a toxic mix." Similarly, Gareth M, from Neath, said: "Alcohol should be kept away from the field area. I am an ex-safety steward with Swansea City and I have seen what happens... when [fans are] drunk, the trouble can start." On the other hand, David B, from Portsmouth, wondered if a ban on drinking in the stands is futile, saying: "I do not think they should be allowed to drink inside the ground/stadium. But there is a very good chance of them getting tanked up before they enter, so which is the less of the two evils?" And David E, who lives in France, asked: "Will it also be prohibited at high-end horse race meetings and motor racing circuits?" There is a very good chance of fans getting tanked up before they enter, so which is the less of the two evils? Yahoo's poll is broadly similar to the findings of a 2022 YouGov survey, which asked 3,297 Britons the same question about drinking in the stands. In YouGov's poll, 63% opposed this, with 25% in favour of allowing it. Meanwhile, Yahoo News UK readers were also asked: "How much does the bad behaviour of football fans concern you?" This poll received 270 votes, with the most common vote being 10 and an average strength-of-feeling score of 6.68, showing a majority of readers consider football disorder an issue. Read more of Yahoo UK's Poll of the Week articles
New York Times
08-07-2025
- Politics
- New York Times
Independent English football regulator given green light by MPs
The bill to introduce English football's first independent regulator was approved in the House of Commons on Tuesday by a majority of 415 votes in favour to 98 against, making its passage into law this summer a formality. In a lively third reading of the bill, the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy and sports minister Stephanie Peacock said football fans had waited long enough for a government to protect clubs from rogue owners. They also poked fun at the opposition benches for the Conservative Party's U-turn on independent regulation, despite their active support for the idea when they were in government, and pointed out that politicians from all parties had been talking about this for more than a decade. Advertisement 'We are doing this for you, the best fans in the world,' Nandy told a well-attended debate. 'For too long you've been treated as an afterthought, at best, and a nuisance, at worst, in a game that's only great because of you.' She then said the bill was for the supporters of clubs that have either gone bust, such as Bury and Macclesfield, or have got very close to the precipice, such as Wigan, Bolton, Derby, Reading, Sheffield Wednesday and Morecambe, the National League side that faces a very uncertain future as a proposed takeover is being held up by their current owner. While the vote was another resounding victory for the government on this bill's passage through parliament, the shadow sports minister Louie French did not go down without swinging. The Conservative MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup repeatedly accused the government of risking English football's financial health by 'replacing the risk of irresponsible owners with reckless political interference', saying the regulator would tie clubs up in red tape and had too much power. French also clashed with Nandy over his claim that the government's choice to chair the independent regulatory, veteran media executive and Labour Party donor David Kogan, was a 'government crony'. Nandy hit back hard at this line of attack, noting that Kogan's name was on a long list of candidates she inherited from the last Conservative government, which included a Conservative Party donor, and that Kogan had been appointed to chair public broadcaster Channel 4 by the Conservatives. But she was warned by the speaker of the house for suggesting that French was displaying 'staggering hypocrisy', as that would be 'unparliamentary language'. French, however, did attempt to add an amendment to the bill that would have ended the ban on fans being allowed to drink alcohol within sight of the pitch in the top five tiers of men's football in England. The amendment was defeated by 178 votes in support to 338 against. Advertisement The government's stance on this idea is more nuanced than the vote would suggest, however. In fact, the last government approved a pilot scheme to test if alcohol could be made as available at football games as it is at cricket, rugby and all other sports, as well music events held at football stadiums. Those pilots did not happen, though, and the Labour government is keen to push on with them. The Liberal Democrats also proposed an amendment to the bill that would have seen 10 Premier League games a season ring-fenced for broadcast on free-to-air channels, plus the League Cup final and all of the EFL's play-off finals. While this idea would undoubtedly be a crowd-pleaser, it would also almost certainly scupper English football's business model, which is highly dependent on the large fees it receives from the likes of Sky Sports and TNT Sports in return for exclusive live rights. It is also hard to think of a better example of the type of government interference that the bill's critics, most notably the Premier League, have been warning against. As a result, the government did not support the Liberal Democrat idea and it was defeated by 340 votes to 86. The bill, without these two defeated amendments, now goes back to the House of Lords for its consent to the small number of changes the House of Commons did make to the original draft, which should be quickly nodded through, leaving only the final formality of royal assent before it becomes law. After such a smooth passage through parliament, the government is confident this will happen before Westminster's summer recess, which starts 22 July.
BBC News
08-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Football Governance Bill set to become law
MPs have voted to back the Football Governance Bill and establish an independent regulator to oversee the men's game in England's top five voted by 415 to 98 to pass the bill at its third reading in the House of Commons, and it is now poised to become legislation will grant powers to a body that is independent from government and football government has previously said an independent regulator will "protect football clubs" by "ensuring their financial sustainability"."I am proud to be part of the winning team that has put our fans back on the pitch at the heart of the game, where they belong," Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy said. The bill was initially introduced in March 2024 by the then-Conservative government but failed to pass through parliament before a general election was called in May. The new Labour government reintroduced the bill in July a message to fans before the vote, Nandy had told the Commons: "We are doing this for you because for too long, you have been treated as an afterthought at best or a nuisance at worst in a game that is only great because of you."This is for Macclesfield, for Wigan, for Bury, for Bolton, for Derby, for Reading, for Sheffield Wednesday, for Morecambe and for many, many more who have had to endure the misery of being put last when they should have been put first."Shadow Minister for Sport, Louie French MP, criticised the Bill, saying "a future Conservative government will trigger a review of Labour's regulator as soon as possible".
Yahoo
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Should football fans be allowed to drink in the stands? Poll of the Week
Yahoo UK's poll of the week lets you vote and indicate your strength of feeling on one of the week's hot topics. After the poll closes, we'll publish and analyse the results each Friday, giving readers the chance to see how polarising a topic has become and if their view chimes with other Yahoo UK readers. A review of a 40-year-old ban on football fans in England drinking alcohol in the stands at matches could be voted on by MPs today. A ban was put in place for English professional football in 1985, but that legislation could potentially be overturned following a proposal by the Conservative party. The review is among several amendments to the Football Governance Bill, over which MPs in the House of were holding a final debate on Tuesday. 'British football and the fan experience are unrecognisable from the widespread hooliganism of the 1980s,' Conservative shadow sports minister Louie French told City AM. 'The FA, National League, EFL and Premier League have all worked very hard to positively transform English football. 'But as football fans will know, we have this legacy ban which sees fans rushing to drink their beer both before kick-off and at half-time. This often leads to fans being delayed entering stadiums and overcrowding on concourses." The amendment will only be put to the House for a vote if tabled by a minister and selected for a vote by the Speaker. Meanwhile in Scotland, rules on alcohol in football stadiums are set to be relaxed as a pilot scheme is trialled at two upcoming Premier Sports Cup fixtures later this month, the Glasgow Times reports. Up to 66 supporters at Ayr United's home stadium at Somerset Park will be able to purchase up to five pints of beer (four before kick-off and one at half time) with a special £35 ticket. These tickets will be available at the team's matches against Arbroath on 19 July and Forfar Athletic on 22 July. In both England and Scotland, many supporters have expressed frustration that fans of other sports, such as rugby and fans elsewhere in Europe, are allowed to drink during matches. There is also an economic case for lifting the ban, which could give smaller clubs a much needed financial boost. However, charity Alcohol Focus Scotland has warned lifting the ban would send the wrong message. Its chief executive Alison Douglas said: 'Not only could making alcohol more available at matches increase risks to fan safety and public disorder, it would be a major step in the wrong direction when it comes to people's health." But what do you think? Has football changed enough to justify a ban being lifted? Or is it a recipie for disaster? Let us know in the polls below:Come back on Friday to read the results and analysis via the link below. Read more of Yahoo UK's Poll of the Week articles
