How an Andy Burnham Premiership Could Change UK Sport

Burnham has never been reluctant to challenge the Premier League or football’s governing bodies.

In 2023, he sent a letter to the Premier League arguing that Everton’s 10-point deduction for violating profit and sustainability regulations should be ruled “invalid”.

The independent football regulator established by Nandy appears to have a secure future as its new powers begin to take effect.

In 2020, Burnham helped write a reform manifesto entitled ‘Saving Our Beautiful Game’.

The document presented several proposals, including the creation of “a strong and autonomous organisation responsible for supervising football’s financial regulation”.

Burnham has maintained close ties with supporter groups for many years and established Supporters Direct, an organisation that preceded the Football Supporters’ Association.

He supports greater fan ownership and involvement, and in 2022 formed a taskforce to help supporters purchase Oldham Athletic., external link

Local entrepreneur Frank Rothwell ultimately acquired the club, while the supporters’ foundation received a 3% stake and representation on its board.

Sports clubs could also be prohibited from accepting sponsorship from unlicensed casinos, reflecting Burnham’s long-standing criticism of gambling-related harm.

An eight-week public consultation is now under way, external link to examine the proposals. Everton, the club Burnham supports, is associated with Stake.com, a cryptocurrency casino that is not licensed to operate in the UK.

Burnham has also been a determined advocate for justice on behalf of those affected by the Hillsborough disaster.

His efforts while serving as an MP contributed to the Hillsborough Law, approved last week with the aim of stopping cover-ups involving institutional failures.

During his time at the DCMS, Burnham commissioned the first review in a decade of major sporting events designated as the nation’s “crown jewels”.

The review proposed making home Ashes cricket matches available on free-to-air television, but the plan was abandoned after Labour left government in 2010.

Sir Keir Starmer’s administration recently put forward legislation intended to stop streaming and catch-up coverage from being restricted to paying viewers in the UK.