Peter Fortune MP voted against the Labour government's proposed football regulator. He warned that it would burden clubs like Bromley FC, increase ticket prices, and risk preventing English clubs from competing in European leagues.
The Government's plans will impose a £100 million levy on football clubs. Clubs will face costs of £35 million to comply with the regulator's requirements. It will also be led by a political appointee, David Kogan, who has donated over £70,000 to Labour MPs, as well as contributing to Keir Starmer and Lisa Nandy's leadership campaigns.
Mr Fortune said: "The cronyism is what we are concerned about. With political leadership, the risk of mission creep is greater. More state intervention would threaten English football’s independence, and UEFA warns that without independence, English clubs could not compete in European leagues.
"For clubs, it means higher taxes, more paperwork, and staff working on state demands, rather than football. For fans, it will inevitably mean higher ticket prices, especially in view of the new jobs tax that Labour has instigated, and employment red tape. We should be focusing on getting money to the league clubs, not tying their hands with bureaucracy. That is what the clubs need."
He added: "As a Ravens fan, when I look at Labour’s supposedly independent football regulator, I have to ask whether it would help Bromley FC or aspiring clubs like it, and in its current state, the answer is a resounding no. When the Bill was first proposed, it was proposed with the right intentions. It would protect cherished community clubs from bad owners, and would prevent a breakaway European super league."
