Football Governance Bill [Lords]

James Naish Excerpts

2nd reading
Monday 28th April 2025 Commons Chamber

[James Naish (Rushcliffe) (Lab)]

It is a pleasure to speak as the proud Member of Parliament for Rushcliffe, the home of Nottingham Forest football club.

Many will know that Forest fans have had a season to remember. It has been brilliant to watch the men’s team performing so strongly in the premier league and I am hopeful that a place in Europe beckons, but we must also remember our women’s team. I congratulate them on their double success, lifting both the FA women’s national league cup and the northern premier division. Of course, there was also huge excitement this weekend as the men’s team reached the FA cup semi-final. Many local fans made the journey to Wembley and although the team were beaten by Manchester City, a club with one of the deepest squads in the world, Forest gave a fantastic account of themselves. I am sure many neutrals would have liked the City goal to have been just a touch bigger—perhaps that is something the Minister can think about as part of the Bill! It was a performance full of spirit and determination. I have no doubt that under the club’s ambitious leadership team, it will build on that going forward. The club’s commitment on and off the pitch has made our community in Rushcliffe immensely proud.

Football matters deeply to communities like mine. It is about not just matchdays but civic pride, shared memories, and a sense of belonging that spans generations and communities. Clubs like Nottingham Forest are part of our national story. Who can forget Forest’s wins in Europe in 1979 and 1980? But these clubs are also part of the everyday fabric of places like Rushcliffe. With the prospect of Nottingham Forest being back in Europe, I can assure everybody that the contribution the game makes to our local economy cannot be overstated. That is why the Football Governance Bill matters so much.

Football has long been one of the UK’s great success stories—it is one of our great exports, watched by billions around the world, generating jobs, investment and opportunities up and down the country—but too often we have seen how fragile the foundations can be. That is why I think the establishment of a football regulator will change things for good. It will protect the financial soundness of clubs, secure the systemic financial health of the football pyramid and safeguard the heritage that fans treasure. That is why I welcome the Bill. I applaud Ministers for bringing it forward and I will back it wholeheartedly.