Tourist tax: Lisa Nandy says Labour may ‘explore’ restoring VAT free shopping April 16, 2025 Lisa Nandy has said the government “could explore” restoring VAT free shopping after hearing “very loud and clear” the calls from the industry to scrap the so-called tourist tax. The culture, media and sport secretary told Elle UK magazine that fashion was in the “soul of the nation” and ministers recognised its “centrality” to the [...]
British Steel: Talks ongoing as hopes of ‘solution in sight’ for Scunthorpe April 9, 2025 Talks are ongoing as government ministers battle for the future of British Steel this week, with hopes of a “commercial solution in sight”. The firm has launched a consultation on the proposed closure of blast furnaces at its Scunthorpe plant and the government is in talks with the company’s Chinese owner Jingye. There have been [...]
UK government backs Manchester United 100,000-seat stadium March 19, 2025 Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Lisa Nandy has said the government is keen to “crack on” in supporting Manchester United’s plan to build a 100,000-seater stadium. Manchester United and co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe unveiled plans for a “New Trafford” development adjacent to the Theatre of Dreams that would include a number of [...]
Baroness Brady: Football regulator a solution in search of a problem February 19, 2025 West Ham United vice-chair Baroness Brady has said the incoming football regulator is a “solution in search of a problem”, adding that doing anything that changes the value of the Premier League broadcast deal would be “reckless and wrong”. The Football Governance Bill has been reintroduced into the House of Lords by the government having [...]
Everton sponsor Stake to leave UK after gambling probe into porn ad February 12, 2025 Club officials of Everton, Nottingham Forest and Leicester City could run the risk of imprisonment or fines after Stake became the latest gambling firm to lose its UK licence after a probe into a porn ad on social media. The Gambling Commission will write to Everton – sponsored by Stake – as well as Nottingham [...]
Brady-backed advisory firm Knighthead spends £100m in Birmingham February 5, 2025 The UK government has welcomed Birmingham City owners Knighthead Capital’s £100m investment into Britain’s second city, which is centred around a 60,000-seat stadium. The American advisory firm, in which NFL great Tom Brady owns a small stake, has spent the money on a 48-acre site near to Birmingham City’s St Andrew’s home for the mega-project. [...]
Football Governance Bill ‘weird’ and regulator could be ‘terrible’, says Brady January 23, 2025 West Ham United vice-chair Karren Brady has laid out her case for opposing the introduction of the football regulator, arguing that it “could have a really detrimental effect” on the game. Baroness Brady has been one of the most vocal peers in questioning the plans for a watchdog, the key plank of the Football Governance [...]
Lords urged to add ‘Wimbledon clause’ to Football Governance Bill November 10, 2024 The Football Governance Bill should be amended to include a “Wimbledon clause” that prevents any club from relocating without their fans’ consent, say campaigners. The suggestion is one of a raft of changes that Fair Game believes should be made to the bill, which will define the powers afforded to the incoming football regulator and [...]
British athletes issue stark warning to government over funding October 23, 2024 British sport could lose hundreds of elite athletes before the LA 2028 Olympics and Paralympics unless the Government increases funding for the next four-year cycle. The stark warning comes after 85 per cent of funded athletes in a new survey said they would not or might not continue competing if forced to make do with [...]
Government bows to Uefa pressure over Football Regulator foreign policy veto October 23, 2024 The requirement for the incoming Football Regulator to consider government foreign policy in club takeovers has been dropped from the new Football Governance Bill, which will be reintroduced to Westminster today. The Bill, formulated under the previous government but not ratified in time for the election, will enter the House of Lords today in a [...]