08/09/2010

UPDATE - Westminster Hall debate on Football Governance

A further update to earlier press release http://bit.ly/footdebate

Hansard transcript available here:
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm/cmtoday/cmwhall/01.htm

Video link available here:
http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=6560

Selected quotes:

Hugh Robertson, Minister for Sport:
“The strength of this morning’s debate lies in its representing the feeling throughout the House that something needs to be done. It is useful because it allows me to go back to the football authorities, put pressure on them and tell them that we had a Westminster Hall debate that was better attended even than those on the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority. This debate is a pretty good weather vane, showing the strength of feeling on this issue. I am determined to make progress and to push ahead with both the wider reform agenda and football supporters’ involvement.”

"The twin aims of greater supporter involvement in running football clubs and the reform of football governance are shared across the political spectrum and are part of the Coalition Agreement. However, I have to tell him that, although the issue is widely agreed in this place, it is not entirely shared in the wider football family. There is a battle to be fought to convince the football family of the merits of this case."

Steve Rotheram (Liverpool Walton) (Lab):
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