Conservative Party

Subterms

    More stories

    • 263 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Girls will all get the chance to play football at school under Rishi Sunak’s drive to breed next generation of Lionesses

      by

      GIRLS will all get the chance to play football at school under Rishi Sunak’s drive to breed the next generation of Lionesses.New government standards will tell teachers to offer female pupils the same sports as boys.
      Rishi Sunak is supporting the move to offer football lessons to girls in schoolsCredit: Rex
      A curriculum shake-up will also encourage schools to increase PE lessons to a minimum two hours each week.
      The Saints-supporting PM said: “Last year the Lionesses’ victory changed the game.
      “Young girls know when they take to the pitch that football is for them and, thanks to the Lionesses, they too could be a part of the next generation to bring it home for their country.”
      England women’s captain Leah Williamson added: “The success of the summer has inspired so many young girls to pursue their passion for football.
      read more on football
      “We see it as our responsibility to open the doors for them to do so and this announcement makes that possible. This is the legacy that we want to live much longer than us as a team.”
      It follows the Let Girls Play joint campaign by the Lionesses and the FA following their Euros 22 triumph.
      Schools will be told that where it is wanted they must offer girls the same activities as boys – also including rugby and cricket – in lessons and after-school clubs.
      Ministers also want teachers to ring fence at least two hours a week for sports, although they cannot dictate how much of the curriculum it takes up.
      Most read in Football
      But Education Secretary Gillian Keegan insists it would be “great for both physical and mental health” as well as teamwork.
      A £600million pot of previously announced money will be used to help heads lay on sports over the next two years.
      A further £57million funding will be used for schools to keep their pitches open after lessons for pupils to use More

    • 225 Shares99 Views

      in Soccer

      Boss of new football regulator must be carefully picked to stop ‘some nitwit’ ruining the game, ministers warned

      by

      THE boss of football’s new regulator must be picked carefully to stop “some nitwit” ruining the beautiful game, ministers have been warned.Rishi Sunak today launched the Football White Paper to create a watchdog to govern the sport.
      Rishi Sunak launched the new footballing white paper todayCredit: Dan Charity / The Sun
      Whitehall sources reckon Gordon Brown might be lining himself up as the regulator’s chairCredit: Getty
      It will have backstop powers to distribute cash from the Premier League to lower clubs if football chiefs cannot thrash out their own deal.
      But Jason Stein, an aide to then-PM Liz Truss who worked on the proposals, warned this could spur smaller sides to collapse talks with the hope of getting more from the regulator. 
      And he said it must not be led by “unhappy grandee MP or connected peer” who knows nothing about football.
      READ MORE ON POLITICS
      Whitehall sources reckon Gordon Brown might be lining himself up as the regulator’s chair.
      Mr Stein said: “As a supporter I am deeply concerned that in half a dozen years the football industry could be run by some nitwit appointed in a back room stitch up with no accountability taking us back to the 60s.”
      The Premier League also demanded that “regulation does not damage the game fans love to watch”.
      Sports Minister Stuart Andrew insisted yesterday these would only have powers of last resort.
      Most read in The Sun
      He told MPs: “We have secured powers within the white paper for the regulator to use should there not be an agreement by the football authorities.
      “We still urge them to get on with it. They still could come up with a deal and I sincerely hope that they can do that.”
      Ministers
      The PM launched his blueprint to clean up the beautiful game and block dodgy owners — three weeks after it was leaked to The Sun.
      Sides will also be banned from joining a European “super league” through the creation of a legal club-funded regulator.
      Southampton fan Mr Sunak has accepted the recommendations in Tory MP Tracey Crouch’s fan-led review.
      Writing together in The Sun, they rail against unscrupulous owners prepared to “recklessly gamble away the future of their clubs in the hope of big money payouts”.
      A staggering 64 clubs have gone bust since it launched in 1992, with Bury the latest to plunge into administration. More

    • 225 Shares139 Views

      in Soccer

      Football clubs will be refused a licence if fans don’t have final say over team’s kits and badges

      by

      FOOTBALL clubs refusing to give fans the final say over their team’s kit and badges will be refused a licence to operate under plans unveiled by Rishi Sunak.The PM today launches his blueprint to clean up the beautiful game and block dodgy owners — three weeks after it was leaked to The Sun.
      Footie clubs will be refused a licence if fans don’t have final say over kits under Rishi Sunak’s plansCredit: Dan Charity / The Sun
      Sides will also be banned from joining a European “super league” through the creation of a legal club-funded regulator.
      Southampton fan Mr Sunak has accepted the recommendations in Tory MP Tracey Crouch’s fan-led review.
      Writing together in The Sun, they rail against unscrupulous owners prepared to “recklessly gamble away the future of their clubs in the hope of big money payouts”.
      The regulator will have “powers of last resort” to raid Premier League cash to hand to struggling lower league teams if footballing chiefs cannot reach a deal themselves.
      READ MORE ON FOOTBALL
      A staggering 64 clubs have gone bust since it launched in 1992, with Bury the latest to plunge into administration.
      But economist Len Shackleton, author of the report Red Card, warned regulation would impose “disincentives to investment and innovation”.
      He said: “Governments over the years have ruined many successful domestic industries.
      “Interference in football could well have the same doleful effect.”
      Most read in Football
      Southampton fan Mr Sunak has accepted the recommendations in Tory MP Tracey Crouch’s fan-led review More

    • 150 Shares109 Views

      in Soccer

      Rishi Sunak delays announcing football shake-up after bombshell leak to The Sun

      by

      RISHI Sunak has delayed announcing his footie shake-up after we blew the lid on the plans last week.The PM was due to unveil the overhaul this week but has now kicked it back a fortnight following the bombshell leak to the Sun.
      Rishi Sunak has delayed announcing his footie shake-up after we blew the lid on the plansCredit: Alamy
      Our report revealed plans for a new regulator to block takeovers from dodgy owners while giving fans a greater say in the running of clubs.
      Teams would also be banned from joining breakaway competitions like the European Super League.
      And Premier League clubs would be forced to give more money to struggling lower league sides.
      Insiders admitted the delay was to let the dust settle after the leak so the PM can announce the Football White Paper with fanfare.
      Read More on Rishi Sunak
      But Shadow Culture Secretary Lucy Powell said: “We urgently need proper football regulation.
      “Bury has already collapsed.
      “Many other clubs have been pushed to the brink.”
      Downing Street said it’s “not uncommon for timings to move on certain policies”.
      Most read in Football More

    • 200 Shares129 Views

      in Soccer

      Rishi Sunak could fly to Qatar for World Cup final to watch England make history

      by

      RISHI Sunak could fly to Qatar for the World Cup final if England make it through to the final.The PM is cheering on our boys from the UK for now as they face France today.
      Rishi Sunak could fly to Qatar for the World Cup final if England make it through to the finalCredit: Alamy
      He will host a number of Tory MPs with him to watch the match at his countryside retreat, Chequers.
      And he wished the boys the “best of luck” ahead of the clash.
      No10 said: “He obviously wishes Gareth and the team the best of luck.
      He knows that the team will give everything they can to try and win the match.
      Read more on World Cup
      And he may choose to jet off at the last minute to watch them play in person – if the team makes it all the way through to the end of the tournament.
      But Qatar has been hit with claims of human rights abuses of workers who put together the stadium – and ministers have warned LGBT fans to take care when they visit.
      Mr Sunak has confessed he’s a “massive football fan” and has been keenly cheering England along.
      Prince William previously said he won’t be attending any World Cup matches, despite his role as President of the FA.
      Most read in Football More

    • 138 Shares159 Views

      in Soccer

      Man City striker Erling Haaland’s name tops list of difficult-to-pronounce words

      by

      MAN City striker Erling Haaland’s name gave pundits as many nightmares as he did defences this year.The Norwegian ace, 22, tops a league table of difficult-to-pronounce words.
      Man City striker Erling Haaland’s name has topped a list of difficult-to-pronounce wordsCredit: Getty
      Rishi Sunak’s name was also on the list after US President Joe Biden called the PM, Rashid SanookCredit: Alamy
      Many fans and commentators call him Halland, not Haa-land.
      Other top 2022 tongue-twisters included Rishi Sunak — with US President Joe Biden calling the PM, Rashid Sanook.
      US actor Steve Carell struggled with CBeebies (see-bee-bees) when guesting on the BBC channel.
      In June, ex-PM Liz Truss mispronounced Taoiseach, the head of Ireland’s government, as “tea sock”, not the correct, “tee-shock”.
      Most read in Football
      The British Institute of Verbatim Reporters, which handles subtitles, compiled the list for language site Babbel.
      Babbel said: “Many of the words are rooted in languages other than English, so it’s great to see them entering our vernacular.” More

    • 275 Shares109 Views

      in Soccer

      Calls for UK asylum scheme for Iran players who could face prison or DEATH after refusing to sing anthem at World Cup

      by

      SENIOR Tory MPs have called for Britain to open its arms to brave Iranian footballers who could face persecution when they return home from the World Cup.The Iranian XI stood tall but silent as their national anthem played ahead of the clash with England at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha yesterday.
      The Iranian national team remained silent during the national anthem before their match against England yesterdayCredit: Getty
      Iran supporters held protest signs with the rallying cries of ‘Woman, Life, Freedom’ and ‘Freedom For Iran’ at the Khalifa International Stadium in Doha yesterdayCredit: Rex
      Iranian fans in the Qatari stadium were moved to tears by the incredible gesture, as massive protests continue to sweep the Islamic Republic.
      But the team’s gesture could land them in serious trouble back home if the brutal Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei decides to make an example of them.
      Political dissent is a crime in Iran – and is one of the offences subject to capital punishment, with 21 protesters already facing execution after sham trials since the start of an uprising in September.
      This week Tory MPs have led called for the players to be offered sanctuary in the UK if they ask for it.
      Former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith told The Sun: “The Iranian team may choose not to go back to Iran given what’s going.
      “Our government should treat those individuals with an accelerated asylum process if that’s the case.
      “Iran is a dictatorial, brutal regime.”
      READ MORE WORLD CUP NEWS
      Last night former minister Caroline Nokes told TalkTV’s Late Edition programme the Home Office “has to be ready” for potential asylum claims.
      She said: “These young men have taken a very brave stance in the same way that young women across Iran are also being phenomenally brave.
      “Perhaps we need to look at a bespoke scheme for them so that instantly we know whether there’s going to be a legal route for them into the UK or not.”
      Iranian officials had already been discussing cracking down on perceived disrespect to their national anthem and flag ahead of the World Cup.
      And the national team’s defiance on such an international scale will spark fury amongst the regime – and could spark retribution.
      Massoud Setayeshi, spokesman for the Iran’s Judiciary, said just days ago that punishments could be meted out for those who reject the anthem.
      Iranian courts have been taking a brutal line on people linked to the protests, with more than 15,000 people arrested and hundreds killed by the security forces.
      Most read in The Sun
      Tory MP David Simmonds, who is also Chair of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Migration, told The Sun: “The brave actions of the Iranian footballers who have heroically stood up to the Government means they could face persecution when they return.
      “This highlights the importance of the U.K. having a strong resettlement scheme for those facing persecution.”
      This morning a No10 spokesperson said they wouldn’t “speculate about what actions individuals might take”.
      But they added: “We do have a proud tradition of providing refuge to those in need and equally we’ve condemned violence levelled at the protesters in Iran.” More

    • 225 Shares159 Views

      in Soccer

      Keir Starmer admits his fave footie memory was watching England lose to Germany on penalties at Euro 96

      by

      SIR Keir Starmer last night admitted one of his favourite footie moments was watching England LOSE to Germany on penalties.The self-claimed footie mad Labour chief recalled watching the nation’s humiliation at Euro 96 ahead of the World Cup starting next week.
      Sir Keir is a self proclaimed football fanatic but admits shocking fave football memoryCredit: Alan MacGregor Ewing
      Sir Keir laughed as he described the “agonising” experience of sitting “up almost on top of” Gascoigne in the stands when the England legend missed an open goal during extra time.
      Away from footie, Sir Keir also confessed yesterday he HAS kissed a Tory and he’s not ashamed of it.
      The Labour leader’s admission came after lefty loonies sparked outrage this year for parading around in “never kissed a Tory” t-shirts.
      Shadow Culture Secretary Lucy Powell joined in too, even posting a snap in the top on social media.
      READ MORE ON WORLD CUP
      Sir Keir slammed the divisive garment in an interview with The Times, revealing: “I’m afraid I’ve broken that rule”.
      But the Labour chief, who insists he isn’t “tribal”, won’t kiss and tell.
      He said: “I’ve got very good friends who are Tories and they’ve been very, very good friends of mine for a very, very long time, and long may that last.”
      Most read in The Sun More