Andy Burnham has backed calls for football fans to be allowed to booze in the stands at matches.
The PM-in-waiting criticised the ban, which has been in place for England’s top five leagues for more than forty years in a bid to curb hooliganism.
Mr Burnham makes great play of his fondness for football. An Everton fan, he was a member of the notorious New Labour ‘Demon Eyes’ team alongside the likes of Ed Balls and James Purnell – both now tipped to be part of his Government.
The former Greater Manchester Mayor is expected to stay up tonight to watch England take on Mexico.
Mr Burnham said in a video ahead of the match: ‘What a golden chance to be in the pub together at 1am on a school night… make the most of it everybody, but mainly let’s hope that England do the job – come on England.’
In contrast, Downing Street has suggested Arsenal fan Keir Starmer‘s schedule tomorrow is too busy.
Legislation from 1985 means that alcohol cannot be consumed within view of the pitch at most professional men’s football matches.
But Mr Burnham raised the prospect of that being overturned in a social media post from a rugby league match at the Hill Dickinson Stadium – also the home of Everton FC – yesterday.
Andy Burnham raised the prospect of the football alcohol ban being overturned in a video posted from a rugby league match at the Hill Dickinson Stadium
Mr Burnham said there was ‘something wrong’ in fans of other sports being allowed to drink while football fans were not
Turning the camera to show Liverpool Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram holding a pint of lager, Mr Burnham said: ‘I’ve only got one question though about this day today… how come these lads can do that in my seat here when we can’t do that at an Everton home game?
‘There’s something wrong there, we need to take a look at that.’
Labour MP for York Outer Luke Charters – a close ally of Mr Burnham – previously called for trials on lifting the restrictions.
He made a similar argument that spectators at other sports are free to drink, urging a ‘modern approach to a modern game’.
‘You look at fans in Germany and in Italy, they are still able to have a beer while they are cheering on their team,’ he told the Commons last year.
However, he stressed that family zones should be kept alcohol-free.
Trials of allowing alcohol in view of the pitch have taken place in the women’s game, which is not covered by the ban.
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