The Foxes Trust has continued dialogue with a number of local MPs about the Government’s Fan-Led Review of football.
Our most recent meeting was with Jane Hunt, MP for Loughborough and the surrounding area, which includes the new training ground at Seagrave. She asked for a meeting at which we discussed the Trust’s relationship with the club across several owners since forming nearly 20 years ago, as well as providing a greater understanding of what the Trust hopes the Fan-Led Review will achieve.
In a previous article we featured a meeting with Liz Kendall, Leicester West MP, who after the meeting wrote to Tracey Crouch MP who is leading the Review, and received the following reply:
“I have received your letter following your meeting with the Foxes Trust. I just wanted to assure you that I have been asked to make interim recommendations by the summer and a full report in October/Autumn. You’ll note that the Terms of Reference for the review do look into both an independent regulator and much more meaningful engagement with fans at board level. Although I think after the FA cup victory, many are looking enviously at the relationship the LCFC owners has with his fans.”
Leicester South MP, Jon Ashworth, whose constituency includes the King Power Stadium, also wrote to the Department for Culture Media and Sport and received a response from John Whittingdale, who is Minster of State for Media and Data, while Andrew Bridgen MP, representing North West Leicestershire, received a similar response from Nigel Huddleston, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Sport and Tourism.
MP for Harborough, Neil O’Brien also wrote to Tracey Crouch, Alberto Costa, MP for South Leicestershire wrote to the Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden and Dr Luke Evans, MP for Bosworth, has written to The Department for Culture Media & sport, to Tracey Crouch MP and to other organisations involved with football.
All the MPs detailed above have offered further assistance as the Review progresses.
Foxes Trust Board member, Stuart Dawkins, who coordinates the Trust’s contact with national and local politicians, commented: “It is great that our local MPs are keen and willing to engage and take action on the Fan-Led Review of football and we thank them, for their time. Circumstances, notably the plans for a European Super League, have set up a chance for there to be real change on the topic. Let us hope that the Review and Government use that opportunity well.”