Football Governance Bill [HL]

Lord Kennedy of Southwark Excerpts

Committee stage
Monday 16th December 2024 Lords Chamber

For that reason, I very much support my noble friend Lord Mann’s Amendment 161, just as I support the amendment of my noble friends Lord Bassam and Lady Taylor.

[Lord Kennedy of Southwark (Lab Co-op)]

Addington.

[Lord Addington (LD)]

It is nice to have a little fan club.

My amendment may be making the ultimate pedant’s point, but the Bill says that a relevant thing that cannot be interfered with is the name of a team operated by a club. My amendment refers to the name of the club itself. Is my point covered by this? I do not know. If it is, tell me where and I will be terribly happy.

The main point is that we will be still talking about who a fan is this time next year unless the Government make a decision and come up with something solid. It affects how the regulator operates and who they exclude. The Government may well have to decide who they are going to offend, but please let us do it, because otherwise fan involvement will mean nothing.