Is Labour's football regulator already falling apart?
Photo byOne of the most common yet most difficult political footballs for politicians to control is cronyism, as Labour is currently finding out. The Government is scrambling to deal with the connections its preferred candidate to chair the new football regulator, David Kogan, has to the party. Lisa Nandy, the Culture Secretary, has removed herself from the process of rubber-stamping Kogan's approval to the post, after he revealed to a select committee of parliamentarians last month that he had donated to both Nandy and Keir Starmer's respective Labour leadership bids in 2020. (Kogan said the contributions were 'very small'; under current political donation rules, they did not need to be publicly declared.) Writing to explain her decision to watch Kogan from the stands, Nandy said she wanted to 'avoid the perception of any bias or lack of independence from government'.
On the surface, this appears to be an own-goal by the government, especially one that promised a 'total crackdown on cronyism' in the run-up to being elected. And now Nandy is devolving the final sign off of Kogan's appointment as chair of the new football regulator to… Stephanie Peacock, a junior culture minister, her subordinate. The Government has swapped one kind of perceived bias for another: marking its own homework.
But there is undoubtedly some cynicism behind the attacks on Kogan's proposed appointment. That Kogan is a media executive with extensive experience working with some of English football's biggest organisations – all affected by the regulator – is almost irrelevant in the eyes of opponents. That he wrote three books about Labour Party history, was on the board of the LabourList political website, and declared all these interests unprompted at the first available opportunity, is what they think really condemns him.
Despite Kogan's composed demeanour during his pre-appointment meeting with MPs, where he said he had 'total personal independence' from Starmer and Nandy, hysterics ensued. Nandy's opposite number, Stuart Andrew, called it a clear 'conflict of interest'. The Liberal Democrats – briefly pausing their lobbying of Starmer to play leader Ed Davey at a game of FIFA – called for the Culture Secretary to 'set the record straight, so Parliament can get on with bringing in the much-needed new independent football regulator'. But beyond this furore, the regulator could still prove a massive policy win for Labour. Given the government's majority, the Bill establishing it – currently making its way through parliament – will pass with ease.
English football, despite a superficially buoyant 2024/25 season, finds itself in a precarious position. Clubs from the multi-billion-pound highs of the Premier League (Everton), and throughout the lower divisions (Reading, Derby County; the now-defunct Bury FC and Macclesfield Town) have all recently fallen victim to poor ownership models and the exorbitant financial pressures. The new football regulator, likely led by Kogan, will be mandated to address this. Get the balance right, and invert the anger fans felt when English football's sacred pyramid was at existential risk from plans for a breakaway European Super League, and this could be a rare positive for Labour after a tricky first season in government.
There is also an easy counter-attack Labour can hit the Conservatives with. The idea for a football regulator was originally a Conservative policy, its implementation only delayed by last year's election. Though the 'backstop' financial distribution powers the regulator will have in Labour's revived version of the Bill differs from the previous Conservative offering, the latter's complete opposition to its own idea even baffles those within its ranks. Stuart Andrew, once the champion of a regulator whilst in government, is now 'embarrassed' by the sudden Tory U-turn in opposition, one Labour MP told me. The fact that Kogan was longlisted when he applied for the role under the previous government is another tactical flaw in the Tory offensive against the chair-in-waiting.
While Kogan's connections to Labour are rightly examined – an independent inquiry is underway – there are otherwise no qualms from those within the game about his skills and expertise. A belief that, in spite of the optics, he is the man for the job. 'The antidote to perception is action,' Kogan retorted to Caroline Dinenage, Tory chair of the culture and sport select committee, and her remark about him being seen as the government's 'puppet'. 'Why on earth would I want to do [this job] if I thought I was going to be dogged by accusations of political bias and [that] my actions would reinforce that?'
Subscribe to The New Statesman today from only £8.99 per month Subscribe
It's a fair point. But politics, like football, is not based on fairness. It's a results-based business. As seen with the disastrous appointment of Sue Gray as Starmer's chief of staff, Labour – and indeed, the Tories – know that when the impression of a dodgy appointment sticks, it can become a burden, often ending in a resignation, and almost always distracting from the ultimate goal. That would be a win for the Tories. But for the millions of football supporters concerned about the future of their clubs, the defeat of Kogan and potentially the regulator would be a devastating loss. If it does fail, then the return of the political football of cronyism would be the least important result from Kogan's appointment.
[See also: The humbling of Pep Guardiola]
Related
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
South Wales Guardian
18 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Windrush campaigners urge the Government to save Notting Hill Carnival
The west London carnival is in jeopardy, its chairman Ian Comfort said in a letter on Wednesday, when he asked Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy to provide urgent funding to save the event. Jacqueline McKenzie, a campaigner and human rights lawyer who helped victims of the Windrush scandal, said the carnival holds 'huge national and international significance'. 'The Government needs to recognise this and act urgently to protect it,' Ms McKenzie said. In the late 1950s, Notting Hill became home to many people from the Caribbean who arrived in Britain on Windrush and accompanying ships, and the carnival was founded by pioneers of that generation. Ms McKenzie said the carnival being at risk 'adds insult to injury' for victims of the Windrush scandal. 'It should not be lost on us that these funding concerns coincide with Windrush Day on Sunday,' she said. 'To see this celebration in jeopardy whilst so many of the Windrush generation continue to fight for justice following the Home Office scandal only adds insult to injury. 'Carnival embodies the fundamental role of Black and Caribbean communities in Britain, and the Government should be upholding the Windrush legacy instead of undermining it.' The carnival attracts around two million people over the August bank holiday, and Susan Hall, leader of the Conservatives on the London Assembly, previously said the event was a 'victim of its own success' and a 'disaster waiting to happen' because of the large number of attendees. City Hall said it has been working with partners to ensure the safety of carnival-goers, which it described as 'paramount'. Professor Patrick Vernon, a cultural historian and Windrush campaigner, said: 'Notting Hill Carnival is far more than a street event — it is a vital cultural institution with both national and international significance. 'As the second-largest carnival in the world, second only to Rio de Janeiro, it underscores London's position as a leading global capital of diversity, creativity and cultural exchange.' Professor Vernon campaigned for a national Windrush Day following the 2018 scandal when it was revealed thousands of British people, mainly of Caribbean origin, were wrongly classed as illegal immigrants – with many deported while others faced difficulty securing work, accessing healthcare or housing. 'The injustice faced by the Windrush Generation in recent years makes the threat to Notting Hill Carnival all the more painful,' Professor Vernon said. 'It is a celebration born of resistance, resilience, and unity – a legacy that should be upheld, not undermined. To allow this cornerstone of Black British identity to fall into jeopardy is to further betray the communities who have already given so much. 'As we approach the 70th anniversary of this extraordinary event, we are reminded that Notting Hill Carnival represents the very best of Britain: unity in diversity, creativity in adversity, and joy in community. Now more than ever, these are values worth defending.' Glenda Caesar, director of the Windrush National Organisation, also urged the Government to step in to save the event, adding: 'In the face of historical and ongoing injustices experienced by people of colour, the carnival stands not only as a celebration of resilience, heritage and identity but also as a powerful symbol of unity and inclusion. 'Supporting this event affirms the UK's commitment to embracing diversity, acknowledging its multicultural roots, and fostering a society where all communities feel seen, valued and empowered.' The Department of Culture, Media and Sport has been contacted for comment.
South Wales Guardian
33 minutes ago
- South Wales Guardian
Starmer puts skills training at heart of industrial strategy plan
The decade-long plan for 'national renewal' will include £275 million in skills investment to train Britons to do jobs in growth industries which might otherwise require imported labour. The strategy will include specific funding to train people for work in defence, engineering, digital and construction roles. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the strategy 'will help transform our skills system to end the overreliance on foreign labour and ensure British workers can secure good, well-paid jobs in the industries of tomorrow and drive growth and investment right across the country'. Monday's industrial strategy will be followed later in the week by a new trade plan intended to make the UK the best-connected country in the world to do business. The Prime Minister will launch the industrial strategy hoping it will help in his mission of delivering economic growth. The economy shrank by 0.3% in April, the biggest monthly contraction in gross domestic product for a year-and-a-half, as businesses felt the impact of global uncertainty caused by Donald Trump's tariffs and domestic pressure as a result of hikes to firms' national insurance contributions. Around one-in-seven young people are not in education or employment, and the number of people taking an apprenticeship has fallen by almost a fifth between 2016/17 and 2023/24. The Government hopes the growth sectors identified in the industrial strategy will create 1.1 million new jobs by 2035. The skills package includes capital investment from a £200 million fund which will support new facilities including 'technical excellence colleges' providing specialised training for local industries. The total funding is expected to train thousands more workers by 2029 including computer programmers, IT technicians, electrical and civil engineers. Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said: 'Skills rightly run right through the heart of this industrial strategy because they are key to breaking the link between background and success for young people and delivering prosperity for our country.' Stephen Phipson, the boss of manufacturers' organisation Make UK, welcomed the skills announcement. 'We look forward to working with the Government to fix the skills gap in manufacturing, which has been the sector's Achilles' heel for decades,' he said. Other elements of the plan are expected to include measures to help cut energy costs for industries which have complained they are being forced to compete with rivals overseas who face lower bills. Meanwhile some £380 million will be spent on a range of projects intended to double private investment in the creative industries. Shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith welcomed the investment in skills but said 'the Government are stepping on the accelerator and the brake at the same time' by hiking national insurance for firms and introducing extra employment rights which could increase costs. 'This inherent contradiction cannot make for a feasible or serious strategy, and will hold the Government to account for it,' he said.
Daily Mail
40 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
One of these mining specialists is up 90pc from when I first tipped it. Now the MIDAS investment guru reveals how YOU can cash in on soaring value of rare minerals the world is rushing to grab
In the midst of World War One, the American government made a disturbing discovery – several vital metals needed for the military effort were increasingly hard to find. Officials swiftly drew up a critical mineral list, alongside a policy to help secure these commodities. Similar policies have now been drawn up across the Western world, focusing on minerals that are essential for defence, energy and technology. The Tories devised a strategy for the UK too, an update is overdue from Sir Keir Starmer and should be delivered imminently.
