Sports minister Stephanie Peacock has said “it is no surprise that there continues to be a loud minority seeking to derail the debate, promote untruths and preserve the status quo” as the Football Governance Bill progresses through Parliament.

The Football Governance Bill was tabled by the last Government with cross-party support and featured in the Labour, Liberal Democrat and Conservative manifestos.

The Bill is currently being debated in the Lords although some Conservatives are now tying themselves in knots trying to find reasons why an idea their party supported during the election campaign is now a threat to the game.

Baroness Brady has been a particularly vocal opponent of the Bill alongside some other Conservative peers.

Interviewed in The Times, with Brighton chief executive Paul Barber and Arsenal board member Tim Lewis, Brady said there has been a “lack of consultation” on the legislation. 

Sports minister Stephanie Peacock today hit back at those claims in the Daily Mail. 

“With change coming, it is no surprise that there continues to be a loud minority seeking to derail the debate, promote untruths and preserve the status quo. We have repeatedly said that this historic Bill will deliver a light touch Independent Football Regulator,” said Peacock.

“This body will be tasked with improving club finances, ensuring sustainability across the leagues and safeguarding things like club colours and badges for future generations of fans.

“Throughout the entire process fans, clubs and the football authorities have helped develop this legislation. In 2024 alone, over 230 stakeholder meetings took place with ministers and officials, the majority of those coming after Labour’s general election win.”

While club executives might like to make out they’ve been sidelined when it comes to consultation that doesn’t tally with the lengths the previous Government went to in setting up the Fan-led Review of Football Governance to engage clubs, leagues and supporters. 

In January 2024 the Premier League’s chief executive Richard Masters even told MPs that “we have had an enormous amount of consultation with the Government on the policies that sit behind the Bill and we have been an active participant in all that, as you expect.”

What is the Football Governance Bill?

The last Government launched the Fan-led Review of Football Governance as a response to six Premier League clubs trying to form a breakaway European Super League in 2021.

The recommendations from this review flowed into the Football Governance Bill which had cross-party support ahead of, and during, the general election in July 2024.

The Bill would block any domestic teams’ involvement in a breakaway European Super League, introduce an independent regulator to offer greater financial protections to our clubs and give supporters a bigger voice in many important issues.

The Football Governance Bill has the FSA’s full support.

• By fans, for fans – join the FSA here…