Jeremy
Corbyn, Leader of the Labour Party, will visit Hackney Marshes football pitches
today to highlight Labour’s manifesto commitment to ensure 5 per cent of the
Premier League’s domestic and international television rights’ income is
diverted to the grassroots game.

The
pledge will help the next generation of players and coaches by drastically
improving facilities and pitches.

Labour
has also committed today to working with train operating companies,
broadcasters and clubs to develop a new ‘Flexible Football Ticket’ so that fans
experience minimal disruption when games are switched. This will stop fans
being left with worthless train tickets and having to fork out again for new tickets
when games are re-arranged at short notice.

The
visit is taking place on the same day as the FA Cup Final.

The
party’s manifesto also commits Labour to:

•          
Put fans at the heart of their clubs – by legislating for accredited supporters
trusts to be able to appoint and remove at least two club directors and to
purchase shares when clubs change hands. We will also review fan participation
in sports governance more widely.

•          
Fix the broken ticketing market – by enforcing anti-bot legislation and
implementing the recommendations of the Waterson review to ensure fair
opportunities for fans to buy tickets.

•          
Improve access provision for disabled sports fans – by ensuring that rapid
improvements are made and by prioritising action to make clubs comply with
obligations under the 2010 Equality Act.

•          
Ensure that investment and support is given to grassroots women’s football so
as many women and girls as possible can benefit from participating in football

Jeremy
Corbyn, Leader of the Labour Party, will say:

“The
FA Cup final marks the greatest day of the football season. Millions of
football fans across the country, including myself, are eagerly awaiting kick
off this evening at Wembley.

“Despite
the game we all love receiving lucrative domestic and international TV deals,
the grassroots game has been shamefully starved of funding over recent years.

“Too
often, youth football teams cannot find pitches to play on and when they do
they are expensive and the facilities are not fit for purpose. All-weather
pitches are like gold-dust and coaching badges can cost unaffordable amounts.
Under these circumstances, it is no surprise we are not nurturing the talent
that we all know exists within the beautiful game.

“To
address this lack of funding and lack of facilities, Labour in government will
ensure that 5 per cent of domestic and international TV rights money is
diverted to the grassroots game. This will ensure the footballing talent of
young girls and boys is harnessed, and football is a game for the many, not the
few.”

Dr
Rosena Allin-Khan, Labour’s Shadow Sports Minister, will say:

“Football
is our national game – it brings people together from all ages and all walks of
life. We have one of the most commercially successful leagues in the world, but
all too often pitches and grassroots community facilities are run down and in a
state of disrepair.

“Without
supporters, amateurs and young players, football would be barren. As broadcast
revenues and the popularity of our leagues increase, so should the support that
goes back into the grassroots game. We have to make sure we can develop future
British playing and coaching talent, in order to make sure our leagues stay
competitive for years to come.”

27 May 2017

Gordon Brown must clarify whether Scottish Labour’s plan for a federal UK would require a referendum before it could be introduced, the Scottish Conservatives have said.

The former prime minister, who is expected to campaign in the General Election today (Sat, May 27) is a driving force behind Scottish Labour’s proposal to loosen the ties between the four nations of the UK.

The Scottish Conservatives are demanding more detail about the plan after Kezia Dugdale, said federalism could be put forward as an option on the ballot paper in a future referendum on independence.

Adam Tomkins MSP, Scottish Conservative constitution spokesman, said:

“To move to a federal UK would mark a historic and monumental constitutional change.

“As a leading proponent of the idea, Gordon Brown has to spell out how it would be achieved.

“Kezia Dugdale has raised the prospect of presenting it as an option in a second referendum on Scottish independence and, as we see Labour cosying up ever closer to the SNP, that is bound to set alarm bells ringing.

“Gordon Brown and Scottish Labour need to come clean about exactly what they are planning.”

• In a speech to the IPPR think tank last December, Kezia Dugdale said a constitutional convention, based on the long running convention which led to a referendum on the creation of a Scottish Parliament, should be set up to develop plans for a federal UK.
• In February she said there was a “legitimate case” for including a “federalist solution” on the ballot paper in a second independence referendum.
• Gordon Brown said in March the proposals would rest on “popular sovereignty,” suggesting a referendum might be required.
• Also in March, UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn said he was “absolutely fine” with a second independence referendum. He has previously said he would be prepared to work with the SNP in a future Westminster government.

Scottish Labour have struck deals and entered alliances with the SNP in councils across Scotland since the local authority elections on May 4.

27 May 2017

The Green Party has responded to Jeremy Corbyn’s speech on foreign policy and terrorism. The Greens praised Jeremy Corbyn’s ‘tough on terrorism, tough on the causes of terrorism approach’ but noted only 11 Labour MPs voted against the military intervention in Libya which went on to be harshly criticised by the Foreign Affairs Committee.

Jonathan Bartley, Green Party co-leader, said:
“The responsibility for terror attacks like that in Manchester lies solely with those who perpetrate these heinous crimes, but it is important to look at the wider picture too. The Labour leader is right to point to failed Western intervention as a cause of instability. Indeed when you look at the Libyan Intervention you see failure at almost every level. If we’re going to beat terrorism we need both adequate security measures at home and a look at how Britain’s role in world affairs can have serious unintended consequences which lead to greater insecurity. Greens are united in our belief in a foreign policy built on diplomacy and peacebuilding and when you vote Green on June 8th you know that you’ll be voting for someone who will seriously scrutinise the march to war of any Government.”
Ends

For more information contact: press@greenparty.org.uk / 0203 691 9401

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A Foreign Office spokesperson said:

We wish all Muslims, in the UK and around the world, ‘Ramadan Kareem’.

We are proud of our strong links with the Muslim world and our global missions will be celebrating with the Muslim communities in which they live and work.

The Foreign Office continues to work for a world that is peaceful, secure and prosperous for all and supports all those who need our help. In particular we remember all those who are kept apart from their families by poverty and conflict, such as those suffering in Syria, Iraq and Yemen. Ramadan Kareem.

Further information

Prime Minister Theresa May sends her best wishes to everyone in Britain and around the world celebrating Ramadan.