Yet here, in Liverpool, the song leaves a bitter taste in the mouth of our residents for other reasons. The very incantation of a song intended to invoke messages of outreach, peace and solidarity amongst men utterly eschewed when it was hijacked in the form of a classist sneer by fans of rival clubs. “Feed the Scousers” is a chant evidently crafted with the obverse intentions of the star-studded choir of luminaries.

The issue many have with the chant is in its sheer audacity. When it was belted out just nights ago against Everton from the Arsenal fans whose club hails from Corbyn’s constituency of Islington North, Everton replied with a neon-lit display of the Fans Supporting Foodbanks logo – a reminder of unity in the face of classism, that Merseyside ought to respond with outreach and dignity, refusing to demote ourselves to the crass mockery which has been inflicted upon us for decades.

Likewise, when Manchester United fans bellowed the chorus in recent years, they did so amidst the backdrop of their beloved son, Marcus Rashford, lobbying the British government for free school meals for children during the pandemic and enshrined his legacy with a floral display beneath his mural in Withington. Leicester City infamously blessed Anfield with a full 90 minute rendition of the song, just before being knocked out of the league cup – a city which ranks amongst England’s most deprived localities. Thus, if Marx was right about false consciousness, then it is here where ‘Feed the Scousers’ is hegemonic in its proof of unwitting cooperation with rhetoric completely at odds with the working class pneuma upon which many of these clubs and fanbases are surrounded by.

I am in no doubts that many chant along in unwitting cooperation, completely unaware of the darker political milieu which surrounds it. To say I haven’t stood in a terrace and chanted something uncouth for the passive activity of “joining in”, whilst privately condemning it would be a lie. To explain such a phenomenon – beyond Marx – famous thinker, Slavoj Zizek, offers a crucial adjustment – ‘they know that, in their activity, they are following an illusion, but still, they are doing it.” Ideology, in other words, must not just be a matter of what I think about a situation; it is somehow inscribed in that situation itself.

Many – in fact most – chants operate on this basis. When Rangers fans gleefully belt out “The Billy Boys” in ritualistic gusto, we can guess they’re not literally yearning to wade up to their knees in Fenian blood, nor are Ulster loyalists genuinely yearning for a world without Catholicism or rosary beads when they sing ‘No Pope of Rome’ in the July sun. Instead, they act more as secular liturgy’s; no one need believe in the theology to enjoy the hymn, nor perpetuate its symbolism.

For example, it’s no use my reminding myself of my unwavering pursuit of racial equality as I sit on a bench labelled “Whites Only” – by doing so, I have supported and perpetuated racist ideology merely by virtue of resting my legs on it. The ideology, so to speak, is in the bench, not my head. Likewise, an Orangeman might swear until he’s blue in the face of his affection for his Catholic brethren and the warmth of his hearth to all creeds and affiliations. Yet as long as he proclaims it with an orange sash draped over his shoulders, his words fall short at his heels. For as long as that sash signifies membership of an organisation from which Catholics are strictly barred — and whose members, should they ever find themselves falling in love across the divide, are promptly shown the door — the ideology speaks for him. The sectarianism, then, resides not in his heart, but in the sash.

And so when Liverpool’s fans take to X, formerly twitter to condemn this vile incantation of poverty goading and readily remind its wilful choristers of the current state of food bank usage outside of Merseyside, you might think they’re a tad off the mark. When the choruses are out in full force, they’re likely well aware those on the receiving end are probably bearing a full belly, yet that is irrelevant. To mock hunger is to assert not merely one’s own full stomach, but one’s distance from the conditions that produce the empty one.

When terraces located in post-Thatcherite mill towns erupt in “Feed the Scousers”, many who engage in it may well draw their groceries from the same food banks whose existence the song presupposes; yet, still, it is its singers who render themselves complicit in stoking division amongst their working class counterparts.

Much like our neighbours in Manchester or Sheffield do, to merely chant a cadence which you know for certain invokes painful memories of discrimination, sectarian nightmares and violence, it is not the subject itself which is the offence, much rather what the words remind and inflict upon its victims at the mere mention of it.

It is these moments in the cold December nights that is believed to harvest some of the gleeful boos of the national anthem should Liverpool make their Wembley in the following months in an FA Cup final. That the royal family is an anachronism, embodying wealth hoarding and incessant defence of their children whose questionable choice in friends breeds scorn, is often the justification people immediately reach for. Yet, for many, chants such as Feed the Scousers are enough to make them bellow a rallying cry of rebellion at the mere tune of God Save the King – the boos are much more a middle finger to a nation that has turned their back on them, used their misery and struggle as a stick to beat them with and a middle finger to a life of which they are disregarded for, rather than a republican statement.

In this sense, when scousers refuse to “be English” it’s often because our treatment seems to be to the very detriment of our national spirit; the very values we parade in the face of John Lewis adverts and beam into living rooms across the country utterly eschewed. Instead, the invocation of our semi-ironic civic secessionism is, rather, a quiet recognition that the version of England on offer seems designed to humiliate us. Aggression towards your regional neighbours, refusal to stand with your countrymen in the face of rank injustice, blindly following the state into lies and collusion, shunning the festive virtues of charity and goodwill for regional tribalism – it’s just not British.

Put simply, if you flaunt a St George’s Cross in your right hand and a £10 note in the other as a mean-spirited dig to the fella facing you across the segregation line, he may be forgiven for having a foul taste in his mouth when he attempts to feel encompassed in that very flag.

All chants have their origin, and the one chanted this week against Everton is not unique. The era of the bygone days of the thriving Royal Albert Docks exceeds that of a bragging right that we still remind anyone who’ll listen; it signalled a seismic power shift away from the south east and back towards an abundant, industrial-heavy north west. Thatcher’s glinting ascent marked a new checkpoint in British culture; in May 1979, she unashamedly advertised the neon-lit narcissism of excess and the return of ‘the Feel-Good Factor’. The south soared, with
decentralisation in London’s financial quarter and tax slashes providing luxury for a newly empowered south-east which were looking towards their northern neighbours with the proverbial knives out. For Liverpool, it was ‘Chapter One’ in a decade-long horror story from which some families would never wake up from. By 1985, over a quarter of the city’s population had lost their jobs in the last six years and by the end of the year, 30% of Liverpool’s housing stock was deemed unfit for public habitation. Liverpool, by and large, was nose diving into a hell they’d never experienced before – their neighbours were laughing in their faces.

The sneering retort from our northern brethren to the east and south of us that Liverpudlians are self-obsessed political narcissists often rests on the basis that we see our material plight in the 1980s – the era from which the chant gains its historic notoriety – as unique, rather than a combined struggle in the backdrop of a collective subjugation under the buckling weight of Westminster deindustrialisation. This has some merit, but misses the reality of how deindustrialisation hit Liverpool twofold; not only did we suffer the effects of deindustrialisation, but industrial automation which was combining with renewed globalisation and the relative withering of transatlantic trade had seen commercial fortunes move from Britain’s western ports to the east was catastrophic. Your working class double glazing window salesman Del Boy character in Essex or even Yorkshire was in a far more advanced position to adapt to a shifting rise in the tertiary sector than a working class docker from Liverpool 8.

When fans of southern clubs waved ten and twenty pound notes in the faces of their subjugated counterparts, it was less a show of material wealth, but rather a display of ascendancy – the potent message of “you can’t attain this. This is what’s being kept from you”.

In the radicalising events preceding the infamous Battle of the Bogside in Northern Ireland in 1969, Orangemen threw coins on the streets in view of their Catholic counterparts after provoking them to confrontation. The coins, here, were not missiles for injury, but rather to rub the societal order which governed their neighbours’ suffering in their faces – the same order from which they were the ultimate beneficiaries. It was just as much a mockery of the Protestant ascendancy as it was the conditions that it had left them in. Across the Irish Sea, we find a similar, miniaturized parallel. To wave a £10 note in the face of a scouser or chant a sly incantation disguised as a heartfelt plea is more-so to mock the forces which governed their suffering than the effects of said forces.

Ultimately, the chant is one of ascendancy. It serves to remind us of our pain, an annual re- illustration of humiliation, not just a lighthearted jest at contemporary food insecurity in Liverpool under the veneer of footballing rivalry. It’s a song to re-instate decades old social orders just as much as it is a reminder of poverty itself. It is a chant crafted to remind those on the receiving end of their vulnerability of the social and political structures that have permitted their suffering, and of the distance separating them from those who watch with detached amusement. The joke is not poverty, nor material scarcity necessarily, but rather its target. The joke is you. Your history, your clawing inability to overcome a state-led nightmare, your lack of national status, your misery – that’s it, that’s the joke. It’s never truly been about football banter; it’s a vocal plea to be privileged above Scousers because every advancement in the position of the city’s industrial hub was a disempowerment in their own conditions. That’s all the chant has ever been about, and the commentary surrounding it is increasingly wrapped in so much blasé sophistry to conceal the bigotry inherent in that desire.

Featured image via Aleksandr Osipov / Wikimedia Commons.

The Football Governance Bill was originally introduced to Parliament in March 2024 by the previous Conservative government alongside a fan-led review of the game.

However, the Labour government continued with the legislation and made some structural adjustments in turn. The Act received Royal Assent on 21 July 2025, introducing a plan for major change in the industry, despite industry professionals raising some concerns. 

The main purpose behind the legislation is to establish a new independent regulator for English Football (the IFR).

The IFR would ensure the financial sustainability of football clubs, with greater enforcement and monitoring of economic regulation, as well as striving to allow fans to have a greater say in how their clubs are run. 

The act came after a period of high financial issues faced by English football teams, including Derby County, Bury and Reading, whose fans were left to suffer the consequences of high-risk-taking and “reckless mismanagement”.

Influenced by recent instances, securing the long-term financial sustainability of football clubs’ ownership structures was at the heart of the Football Governance Bill’s origins. 

The new regulator is set to hold exclusive powers over financial regulation, fan management and ownership verification across the Football Pyramid.

This includes stronger Owner and Director tests to ensure more sustainable ownership models; tougher financial regulation and backstop powers to ensure a fair distribution of finances between the leagues. 

Outside of the financial aspect, the regulator’s powers also focus on the heart of football: the fans. The IFR will enforce new standards to ensure fan engagement is involved in club decision-making, also prioritising the protection of key club heritage aspects such as their football badge and stadium location. This aims to reduce the distance between fans and their club’s ownership and to ensure that owners face oversight from their fan bases. 

Most notably, the regulator bars clubs from joining closed-shop competitions and breakaway leagues. This addition to the legislation stems from the proposed Super League in 2021, in which six English clubs originally registered to participate.

The highly unpopular proposal would have completely reshaped English and European football, threatening the heritage of the game as we know it.

The Bill has had high backing from fan bases and members of the industry, with the legislation ensuring the game remains true to its supporters. 

While the Act has now received Royal Assent, its journey through Parliament was not smooth sailing, with various criticisms from MPs, Lords and Industry Professionals raised throughout the legislative process. 

The Premier League stated in October 2024 regarding the early proposals of the legislation that it risked “weakening the competitiveness and appeal of English Football”. However, since the legislation has been fine-tuned and become law, the Premier League has not issued an updated response. 

One concern that was raised by Brighton’s Paul Barber to the Times in January this year was the risk to “Parachute payments”, and the effect it can have on high-spending, high-risk clubs.

Parachute payments are given to teams when they are relegated to ensure the club can cope with significant financial losses.

The payments have ensured that clubs can invest higher within the season with a reduced risk if they were to be relegated.

Barber told the Times: “Parachute payments being reduced or even abolished would certainly have an impact on investment.

Then there are the potential unintended consequences. The cost of regulation is going to have to be borne in most cases by Premier League clubs.

We’ve two choices with those costs. We either stop doing some of the things we’re already doing, whether that’s academy, women’s, girls’ football or whatever, or we pass those costs on to fans.”

Within the final bill publication, it states that parachute payments will not be abolished; however, they will be included in financial distribution measurements if an expert committee determines they are relevant to the financial sustainability of the football pyramid.

Yet lower down the Leagues, support has been more common, with the English Football League Chairman Rick Parry praising the bill for allowing more clubs to rise and fall throughout the football pyramid without the threat of financial catastrophe. 

The regulator is expected to come into effect by the end of this year. 

Featured image via Lauren Hurley / No 10 on Flickr.

Simon Clark

Director of Forest

Simon Clark, is director of the smokers’ rights group Forest (Freedom Organisation for the Right to Enjoy Smoking Tobacco). Founded in 1979, Forest represents adults who choose to smoke tobacco and non-smoking adults who are tolerant of other people’s enjoyment of tobacco.

Confirmation that the government wants to extend the indoor smoking ban to outdoor spaces, including beer gardens, has provoked anger and a sense of déjà vu among opponents of the plan.

In 2020 an amendment to the Business and Planning Bill that would have banned smoking in the new outside pavement areas was withdrawn after the Conservative government rejected the idea that smoking should be prohibited in all outdoor seating areas that were licensed to serve food and drink.

According to a statement, ‘The government will not ban outdoor smoking. Since the existing [indoor] ban was introduced, businesses have invested heavily in their outdoor areas and banning outdoor smoking would lead to significant closures and job losses.’

Keep It Local

That remains the position today and it seems to be working well because, although local authorities have the power to ban smoking in licensed pavement areas, only a handful have chosen to do so, which suggests there is very little demand to extend the indoor ban to outside areas when more liberal solutions, based on tolerance, common sense and pragmatism, already exist.

Despite this, the newly elected Labour government wants to by-pass local authorities and impose a nationwide ban on smoking outside pubs, bars and restaurants, taking what should be a local issue out of the hands of local people and local businesses.

At stake is the ability of cafes, pubs and bars to choose policies on smoking that work best for them and their customers without unnecessary and intrusive government intervention.

Smoking Ban Was Devastating For Pubs

Advocates of the government’s plan deny the policy will have a significant impact on the hospitality industry. However, the effect of the indoor smoking ban was devastating for many pubs and clubs.

In 2017, ten years after the introduction of the ban, figures showed there were 11,383 fewer pubs in England compared to 2006, before the ban was introduced, an astonishing decline of 20.7 per cent.

While the loss of pubs was part of a long-term trend and wasn’t exclusively due to the smoking ban, another report found there was a clear acceleration in pub closures in the year after bans were enforced in Ireland (2004), Scotland (2006), England and Wales (2007).

Those that survived and sometimes flourished were often pubs with beer gardens and other outdoor areas that could be developed to create a comfortable environment for smokers and non-smokers alike.

Today, if the government goes ahead with its plan, many of those pubs could be at risk too, together with thousands of jobs, if another generation of smokers is driven away to smoke and drink at home.

Education Not Coercion

There is no evidence that exposure to tobacco smoke in the open air is a significant risk to anyone else’s heath, including children. Perhaps knowing this, ministers were quick to switch from talking up the harm of passive smoking outside to declaring that the proposed ban is actually to ‘encourage’ smokers to quit.

It is no business of government if adults choose to purchase and consume a legal product. While there are some smokers who want to stop smoking, and perhaps wish they had never started, there are millions who enjoy smoking or take comfort from their habit.

A report commissioned by the smokers’ rights group Forest and conducted by the Centre for Substance Use Research in 2016 found that over 90 per cent of the 600+ respondents (who were classified as ‘confirmed smokers’) gave pleasure as the reason they smoked.

For that reason they were willing to accept the risk to their health, and in a tolerant, liberal society that is their right as long as they don’t harm other people’s health.

Banning smoking in the open air (where they are potentially harming no-one other than themselves) goes way beyond education or encouragement. It’s coercion, and it’s designed to force adults to quit a perfectly legitimate habit.

Smoking Rates Already At Their Lowest Level

What makes the policy so shocking and unnecessary is that smoking rates have been falling across all age groups for decades and are currently at their lowest recorded levels.

In general, however, the largest drop in numbers has rarely been the result of anti-smoking legislation introduced by successive governments. Indeed, there is very little evidence that policies such as the smoking ban or standardised packaging of tobacco have had any significant impact on smoking rates at all.

Yes, the number of smokers has fallen, and continue to fall, but the decline in the smoking rate after the introduction of the smoking ban, for example, was merely in line with historical trends. There is very little evidence that the ban itself had a major impact on smoking rates.

After 2012, however, there was a significant fall in the number of smokers in the UK, but that decline coincided not with the smoking ban but with the rise of vaping as more and more smokers voluntarily switched to a reduced risk alternative to smoking.

Pubs Aren’t Health Clubs

Artist David Hockney, 87 this year and still a confirmed smoker, has argued that ‘pubs aren’t health clubs’, and he’s right. Most people go to a pub to relax and unwind with their friends, enjoy a drink or three, eat a high calorie snack and, in some cases, smoke a cigarette. Smoking, says Hockney, is good for his mental health and who’s to say he’s wrong? It’s his life, not the government’s.

TV presenter Jeremy Clarkson also got it right when he erected a sign in the garden of his new pub, The Farmer’s Dog in Oxfordshire. It reads: ‘You might like smoking – others might not – if you smoke please be considerate’.

If local authorities were to suggest a similar sign in all beer gardens and other outdoor spaces where smoking is permitted by the licensee, who could reasonably object?

Final Thought

What we are witnessing is a war on choice and individual freedom. If we continue on this righteous path to ‘good’ health we risk creating a society in which government makes every significant decision for us and, one by one, personal freedoms we once took for granted will be slowly erased on the altar of public health.

Hear more from Chamber UK

To hear more insight from Chamber UK on topics including Health, Care, and Life Sciences, sign up to our newsletter here. Also, hear from ASH, who have published an article with Chamber UK supporting the new legislative proposal.

Labour’s Plan for SMEs

Debbonaire began her speech with an emphasis on supporting small businesses, and the challenges facing those businesses, particularly the creative industries. Referencing policy that the Labour party has announced since 2023, she mentioned:

1. Legislating to tackle late payments: Government estimates £20 billion worth of unpaid invoices are overdue at any given time, causing Cashflow problems for SMEs in particular. Legislation to tackle this would include requiring audit committees of big businesses to report payment practices.
2. Scrapping business rates: Also pushed by parties including the Liberal Democrats, the ‘pay before profit’ model of business rates is often attacked as being unfair and a barrier to SMEs starting in their ventures. Labour aim to scrap business rates and replace them with incentives for investment.
3. Revolutionising apprenticeship and skills: By creating Technical Excellence Colleges to specialise in higher technical qualifications, and greater support for Local Skills Improvement Plans, alongside creating Skills England and transforming the Apprenticeship Levy to a more flexible Growth and Skills Levy, Labour hopes to address the skills shortages that are hampering SMEs from scaling up.

Combating Misinformation

Owen Meredith, from the voice of UK national, regional and local news and sponsor of the event, News Media Association (NMA), began his speech stressing the importance of journalistic integrity in combating misinformation and upholding the truth. With the onset of new technologies that might deceive and misinform populations, AI in particular, the importance of uncovering details and facts behind stories, and ensuring high standards of journalism is incredibly important, and is campaigned on by NMA and the 900 organisations it represents.

Meredith further highlighted the opportunities to collaborate with senior politicians including the Shadow Frontbench, to build consensus to support a free and sustainable press, legislating on online safety, digital markets and ensuring a balanced relationship with tech platforms, as well as how advertising budgets are shared with local publishers and SMEs here in the UK.

Chris Brumphet of Field Consulting, a communications consultancy, made a compelling case for why small business owners should support Labour. He cited the chaos of the past decade under Conservative governance, marked by erratic policy shifts and neglect of vital issues like business rates and infrastructure investment (‘Chaos has a Cost’). Brumphet articulated a desire for stability and evidence-based decision-making from a Labour government, underscoring the crucial role of economic growth in realising broader social goals.

What’s Next for Labour and Business?

Bringing speeches to a close (and opening the way for a positive evening of networking, Vice-Chair of SME4Labour, Mark Glover, stressed the importance of Labour reaching out to SMEs. Historically, Labour has often been portrayed as anti-business, but Glover was keen to highlight the changed party, with a changed relationship towards businesses. 

As the General Election campaign continues to grow, pressure will mount on Labour to create and share decisive policy on various topics. Curia’s own Life Sciences Industrial Strategy for a new government Programme, which you can preorder here, will be building on the Life Sciences Industrial Strategy announced by Labour earlier this year.

Chamber UK regularly works with third parties to support events with senior politicians. Past events have included keynote speakers, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt MP, Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves MP, and Education Secretary Gillian Keegan MP. If you or your business is interested in working with Curia to deliver a similar event, get in touch today at info@politicsuk.com.

Rt Hon Lucy Frazer KC MP

Secretary of State for Culture, Media, and Sport

Lucy Frazer, Secretary of State for Culture, Media, and Sport, discusses the power of UK sport, with particular emphasis on the rise of women’s involvement.

The Lionesses winning a European Championships in 2022 and making it to a World Cup final last year. Athletes like Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Josh Kerr, and swimmers like Adam Peaty, dominating their disciplines and reaping the rewards with gold medals on the world stage. England cricketers redefining the English game of test cricket with a new, swashbuckling style. Sport is part of our national DNA and now, arguably more than ever before, the UK is producing exceptional sporting talent and excellence.

Fortunately for us, the only thing that comes close to matching the calibre of our athletes is our reputation for hosting outstanding sporting events. From the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and Olympic and Paralympic Games 2012 to the Rugby League World Cup 2021, the Women’s UEFA European Championships 2022, and countless Champions League Finals (next year to be hosted at Wembley!), we have established ourselves as one of the global go-to destinations for hosting top-level sporting events. And all these events come on top of our staple of annual sporting treasures like Wimbledon, Silverstone, and the Grand National.

In October, the UK and Ireland won the right to host the Men’s UEFA European Championships in 2028, building on our strong track record for hosting spectacular sporting moments. This unique event will see communities across our country welcome thousands of visitors to their pubs, cafes, hotels, and restaurants and, most importantly of all, it will be a tournament for the fans. But before we even reach those Championships, we will have hosted more amazing events: the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, the European Athletics Championships 2026, and the Women’s T20 World Cup 2026, on top of the SportAccord, the world’s most exclusive sport summit in 2024.

Uniting and Inspiring the Nation

Few things in life capture the attention of a whole country like these major sports events, particularly when our teams are thriving. They give us moments that unite communities behind a common cause, they bring friends and family together to share the anticipation and excitement of an event, and they encourage young people to recreate moments of magic at their local park or on the school playground.

That is what excites me most about our current crop of sporting talent, and the sporting spectacles we are hosting on home soil and that we are continuing to bid for – how they will inspire the next generation.

Every sports star discovered their innate ability by giving sports a try. Mary Earps found her knack for goalkeeping at West Bridgford Colts in Nottingham, aged 11. Mo Farah was inspired to try running by his PE teacher Mr Watkinson at Feltham Community College when he was 14. Hannah Cockroft took up seated discus and wheelchair basketball at her secondary school, before going on to become one of the most accomplished Paralympic athletes of all time. I want every young person to have those kinds of opportunities to find and maximise their sporting potential to become the next Earps, the next Farah, or the next Farrell.

So, my priority, and our priority as a government, has been getting more young people involved and giving them chances to channel their love for a team or a sporting idol into taking part. And we have backed our words with deeds, with almost £400 million being invested in thousands of new and improved football and multi-sport facilities, tennis courts, and swimming pools across the UK by 2025.

The Rise of Women’s Sport

At the same time, we have laid the foundation for the future of women’s football, backing the Lionesses’ campaign with a commitment to equal access to all PE and sports for girls in schools. But that is just the beginning. At the Women’s World Cup Final in Australia, I saw first-hand the huge wave of optimism that exists around women’s football and, following Karen Carney’s landmark review of the women’s game commissioned by the Government, our ambition is to take all of this momentum and unlock the sport’s future growth in the UK.

On top of upgrades to our sporting infrastructure and our support for women’s football, we have drawn all these threads together in a bold, clear-eyed Sport Strategy, designed to get millions more of us active. This blueprint sets out how sport can improve our national health: reducing antisocial behaviour by giving young people something to focus on; reducing the burden of obesity on the NHS with an ambition to get 3.5 million more people active by 2030; and reducing social isolation by bringing communities together on pitches, courts, and tracks.

The Future of UK Sport

We are a nation of sport lovers. And now, with first-class facilities, major tournaments on the horizon, and an ambitious strategy to boost our national health, we have all the ingredients in place to extend our current golden age of UK sport long into the future. It’s an opportunity that’s too good to miss.

The decision was reached following an agreement between the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), the British Paralympic Association (BPA), and Buckinghamshire County Council. The unanimous vote in support of the motion by the Buckinghamshire Council has set the stage for Stoke Mandeville to become a permanent part of the Paralympic tradition.

The 2024 Paralympics

The Paralympic Games, an international multi-sport event involving athletes with a range of disabilities, have long been a beacon of resilience, determination, and athletic prowess. The Paralympic Games, have grown from a small gathering of British World War II veterans in 1948 to a global event that draws thousands of athletes from around the world.

In 1944, the British government asked Dr Guttmann to open a spinal injuries centre at Stoke Mandeville Hospital. Four years later, Guttmann organised the Stoke Mandeville Games, a competition for wheelchair athletes, held on the same day as the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in London. The games expanded to include international athletes, before eventually becoming known as the Paralympic Games for the 1960 summer Olympics in Rome.

The decision to establish a permanent home for the Paralympic flame underscores the event’s status and the recognition of the athletes’ spirit. The flame will be lit at Stoke Mandeville to recognise its legacy as the birthplace of the Paralympic movement and it will be used to light flames from the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. It is hoped this will increase global awareness of Stoke Mandeville and Sir Ludwig Guttmann, who helped create and develop the Paralympic movement.

Responses

International Paralympic Committee president Andrew Parsons said: “It is fitting that 75 years on from those historic first Stoke Mandeville Games… we are announcing that Stoke Mandeville will play an even greater role in all future editions of the Paralympic Games. The Paralympic Movement owes Stoke Mandeville and Sir Ludwig Guttmann a huge debt of gratitude”.

Sir Philip Craven, former President of the IPC said “we have always maintained that the Paralympic Flame is lit using the spirit and energy of physical human endeavour, and that is what it represents. That spirit and energy exist across the world, so to have a permanent location where it is lit would be slightly contradictory to that notion.”

Final thought

The permanent lighting of the Paralympic Flame at Stoke Mandeville marks a pivotal moment in the history of the Paralympic Games. The lighting of the Paralympic Flame is more than just a ceremonial act; it is a celebration of the strength of Paralympic athletes. This development is likely to enhance Stoke Mandeville’s role in the Paralympic Movement and contribute to the global understanding and celebration of the athletic abilities of individuals with disabilities.

Photo credit: paralympics.org.uk

What is the Big Half Marathon?

The Big Half is a one-day running festival which is organised by the London Marathon team. It aims to celebrate diversity in London as it is more accessible so provides people with the opportunity to participate in a marathon. The Big Half is 13.1 miles long; starting at Tower Bridge, the route passes through 4 London boroughs (Southwark, Lewisham, Tower Hamlets and Greenwich) and finishes at Cutty Sark.

Runners will start off from Wapping at 2.30pm, before running through Canary Wharf, Tower Bridge, Rotherhithe, and Deptford before finally making their way to the finish line.

This year’s Big Half Marathon is set to see 15,000 runners pounding the London pavements. The event also includes the Big Relay, where teams of four each complete a 5km run, and the Big Mile, a family focused, free-to-enter race in Greenwich. 

Mo Farah’s attendance

One runner participating is decorated Olympic champion Sir Mo Farah, who is hanging up his running shoes for good after the Big Half. Sir Mo Farah will race for the last time ever in his hometown of London. His competitive farewell in London brings to an end a stunning career in the city where he won two gold medals at the London 2012 Olympic Games and a gold medal at the 2017 World Championships. He has also been Britain’s leading contender at the London Marathon over the past decade and his three wins at The Big Half are a record for the event. 

To mark the occasion, Farah and thousands of other participants will be set on their way by his wife Lady Tania Farah and his children – Rhianna, Aisha, Amani and Hussein – who will be the official starters of the race. The first three finishers in the men’s and women’s races will be eligible for selection for the World Championships, providing they have achieved the qualifying times (62:30 for men and 71:30 for women). Jonny Mellor and Andy Butchart lead the entrants alongside Sir Mo in the men’s race while Samantha Harrison and Calli Thackery are the two fastest in the women’s field. 

David Weir heads the men’s wheelchair field while there is an intriguing match-up in the women’s wheelchair race where defending champion Eden Rainbow-Cooper faces former world 100m champion Samantha Kinghorn. 

Final thought

The Big Half Marathon is an exciting event which provides a fun and accessible way for Londoners to participate in a marathon, with many also appearing to raise money for charity.

The World Cup Final 

 Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has written to councils across England to do everything they can to help venues seeking to extend their hours for the game. He said, “I’ve asked councils to do everything they can to help pubs get open earlier on Sunday, so people can come together and enjoy a drink before kick-off for this special occasion.” 

“The whole nation is ready to get behind the Lionesses this Sunday in what is England’s biggest game since 1966” Gove continued.

The Home Office has written to police chiefs encouraging them to work with councils to ensure as many venues as possible can open. 

However, councils are unable to grant extensions to pubs that failed to apply by August 11 – when England had not even won their quarter-final tie. Pub bosses have warned that licensing rules mean some venues will be unable to serve pints or open early for excited fans on the day. Current regulations mean the sale of alcohol is widely prohibited before 10am on Sunday, but venues such as pubs also have specific hours they can stay open and serve alcohol depending on individual licenses. 

The solution of a widespread change to licensing hours throughout England would necessitate the nod from Parliament. However, Parliament is currently on recess making any chance of an emergency recall are unlikely. Instead, the Government is urging local councils and police chiefs to do what they can to approve extensions.  

Importance of the Final 

A Local Government Association spokesperson said: “Councils up and down the country are flying flags, lighting up buildings and hosting free screenings of the game on Sunday to mark this historic and exciting occasion.” “They will be working with partners and local vendors to ensure supporters can enjoy the match safely and get behind our Lionesses.” 

The Liberal Democrats have called for Rishi Sunak to recall Parliament to pass the necessary legislation, with the deputy leader Daisy Cooper saying, “This is an open goal for the Government. The Lionesses have made history by reaching the final, it’s only right that people across the country can come together and show their full support on Sunday.” 

“MPs should get down to Westminster tomorrow and score a last-minute winner for our pubs and the Lionesses.” 

Chris Jowsey, chief executive officer of Admiral Taverns, which runs more than 1,600 pubs, said: “We urge the Prime Minister to allow pubs to open at 10am on Sunday to support our Lionesses and bring communities together to cheer on the team. 

“It has been inspiring to watch not only their outstanding achievements on the pitch, but the way it has brought the nation together off the pitch.” 

The BBPA also called on the Government to allow all pubs to provide full service from 10am, warning that starting alcohol sales at 11am could lead to large queues and disruption as the game kicks off. 

Emma McClarkin, chief executive of the BBPA, said: “We need the Government to step in and allow the necessary regulatory easement to allow pubs to serve the public from 10am on final day, so fans and communities can come together and cheer the Lionesses to victory at the best place to watch live sport, the pub.” 

Alun Cairns MP, chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Beer Group, said: “Early opening and serving would be a fitting tribute to the Lionesses and a welcome boost to the industry.” 

Kate Nicholls, CEO of trade body UK Hospitality, said: “The nation will be cheering on the Lionesses on Sunday and the next best thing to being in Australia is enjoying the match in the pub or hospitality venue. 

“Many are taking advantage of the fact that they can open to encourage people to come out for breakfast or brunch to get ready for this historic match. Demand from fans has been exceptional, with bookings filling rapidly, and there’s no doubt the day will be a huge boost for the sector, potentially delivering an additional £41 million in sales.” 

She added: “I’d echo the Government’s support for local authorities taking a pragmatic view to venues opening early to allow people to make the most of this momentous occasion.” 

Final Thought 

Michael Gove’s initiative to permit alcohol service prior to the Women’s World Cup is a commendable step. This move not only rallies support for the Lionesses but also offers a much-needed boost to local pubs nationwide. 

The City’s Shining Stars 

On the Pitch, Off the Pitch will see five new murals created around the city, each paying tribute to the individuals, clubs and stories which have shaped the city’s rich sporting legacy.  

Led by Leeds Museums and Galleries, this project is joining forces with local artists and community groups over the next year, exploring and uncovering some of the lesser-known exploits of those who have competed over centuries and linking them with the city’s museum collection. 

The project has been made possible by a £210,665 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund through their Dynamic Collections programme, weaving these sporting stories into the fabric of Leeds. 

Capturing the magic of the city’s sports scene creating new murals and digital artwork, the project will record a series of interviews with people involved in sports in Leeds alongside video footage capturing sport taking place in public locations across the city. 

These will be entered into the Leeds collection so they can be captured and conserved for future generations. 

The Proud History of Sports in Leeds 

Leeds Museums and Galleries project curator Catherine Robins said: “Leeds has an incredibly rich and diverse sporting history filled with fascinating events, stories, and characters. 

“Many of the teams and individuals who have been part in that story are rightly celebrated in some of the stunning public artworks we see around the city. But there are many others whose contributions may not be as well-known, but who have still played their own unique and integral role in sport in Leeds. 

“Through this project, we hope to shed some new light on those stories and through our collection better connect and represent local people and communities with the celebration of the city’s sporting heritage.” 

The project will run until next summer, with new murals set to adorn the city’s walls around October this year in locations yet to be decided. 

Sporting murals already in place around Leeds include a stunning tribute to former Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa in Hyde Park, a mural honouring Leeds Rhinos legend Rob Burrow on the side of Leeds Beckett University and an artwork of former world champion boxer Josh Warrington under the A58 flyover. 

“Leeds is a city that’s rightly proud of its incredible sporting heritage we always want to celebrate those who have given us so many unforgettable memories.” 

“This project will give us a perfect opportunity to rediscover some of the city’s unsung sporting heroes and further enrich both our urban landscape and the story of sport in Leeds.” 

Councillor Jonathan Pryor, Leeds City Council’s executive member for economy, culture and education 

Helen Featherstone, Director, England, North at The National Lottery Heritage Fund said: “Thanks to National Lottery players, we are delighted to support Leeds Museums and Galleries with this project that will work with local people to explore the stories of unsung heroes and creatively showcase the city’s rich sporting heritage. We know that heritage plays a huge role in bringing people together and creating a sense of pride in local communities, and this project is sure to do just that.” 

Final Thought

Leeds’ vibrant streets are poised to honour the hidden champions of its sporting legacy through captivating street art. These fresh new murals will demonstrate the sporting achievements of the city and should encourage young people in Leeds to progress to achieve their dreams. 

This creativity and investment by Leeds City Council, should help to boost tourism to the area to see the fantastic achievements of the city, along with other existing sporting murals and arts. 

Accompanied by Leader of Rushcliffe Borough Council, Cllr Simon Robinson, Lex Leisure partners and Council officers, Jenrick was first given a tour of the £13 million leisure centre followed by a visit to the new offices adjacent to Bingham Arena.

The project received £1.675 million of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020.

Jenrick was previously Secretary of State at The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government which is the Managing Authority for European Regional Development Fund.

New Bingham Arena and leisure centre

The leisure centre is managed by Lex Leisure and hosts a new 25 metre six lane swimming pool, teaching pool, fitness centre, spin and exercise studios, café and community hall.

It is the first facility locally to welcome significant swimming galas, competitions and events, thanks to a 330-seater swimming pool spectating area, presenting new opportunities with swim instructors qualified to Swim England standard.

Bingham Jubilee Community Hall was also a tour highlight featuring a stage and space for audiences up to 300 people so named to celebrate the late Queen Elizabeth II’s reign. The community hall is courtesy of part-funding from D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership and support from Bingham Town Council.

New enterprise centre

The Ministerial visit also looked around the brand-new offices at the Enterprise Centre which are courtesy of funding from the European Regional Development Fund and Local Growth Funding from D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership.

The 12 self-contained, high spec fibre-connected office suites over two floors range in size from 47 square metres (506 square feet) to 108 square metres (1,163 square feet) and in under two months of opening, the Council has secured 11 out of the 12 tenants.

Now local businesses from across a range of industries including IT providers, care home head office, architect firm, facilities management, tech and software developer, social media agency, building control and more are settling into the building. 

New homes

During the visit to the town, the Minister also visited Romans’ Quarter new housing development on a site tour.

The major development will create 1,050 houses, employment opportunities and facilities for the community with the first residents having moved in in July 2019.

Leader of Rushcliffe Borough Council, Cllr Simon Robinson said: “We’re pleased to welcome The Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP to the Borough and present some of our outstanding facilities and major housing developments taking place.

“Bingham Arena is a wonderful new venue that provides contemporary facilities the local community can be proud of at the heart of one of our growing towns.

“Crucially in line with our Carbon Clever priorities, the building has a 78% carbon emission reduction compared to other leisure centres locally. It’s vital we set an example for others to follow in investing in new infrastructure in the right way.

“The Enterprise Centre already has eight occupants and three more are set to move in within the next couple of months which is fantastic.

“We completed research prior that found there was a big demand for businesses who wanted to stay in the town so the twelve new office spaces on site will help to retain local talent.

“Rushcliffe is a great place to live, and we have a lot to be proud of so I’m delighted to have this opportunity to showcase some of our major developments which play a key role in our economic growth.”

Commenting on the visit, Minister for Immigration, Robert Jenrick MP said: “I’m incredibly impressed by the facilities available here at Bingham Arena.

“Rushcliffe Borough Council and everyone involved have done an amazing job overseeing this major development to fruition.

“Bingham is a fast-growing town and I’m pleased it has the leisure facilities it deserves.

“During my visit, I was hugely impressed with the friendly and helpful staff and it’s great to see everyone enjoying and making use of the facilities.

“I was also particularly impressed by the Enterprise Centre. I don’t want Bingham to be a large commuter town. I want there to be opportunities for jobs and local entrepreneurs for successful businesses.

“There has been a lack of commercial space here for a long time and these new offices enable businesses to grow and thrive and employ local people close to home.”

Just days after winning the European Championships at Wembley, an open letter was sent to Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss signed by all 23 members of the squad. Truss and Sunak were, at the time, battling to become the new leader of the Conservative party and consequentially the Prime Minister.

The letter stated that the team wanted to create “a legacy and inspire a nation” and that winning the Euros was “only the beginning.” They added:

“We are looking to the future. We want to create real change in this country and we are asking you to help us achieve that change. We want every young girl in the nation to be able to play football at school.

Currently, only 63 percent of girls can play football in PE lessons. The reality is we are inspiring young girls to play football, only for many to end up going to school and not being able to play. This is something we all experienced growing up so we made our own teams, travelled across the country and despite the odds, kept playing football.

We ask you and your government to ensure that all girls have access to a minimum of two hours a week of PE. Not only should we be offering football all girls, but we also need to invest in and support female teachers too.”

Mission accomplished

Now, seven months after the letter was penned, the Lionesses’ request has been granted by Rishi Sunak’s government. In a new package of measures released by the government today, girls are set to be granted equal access to ALL school sports, not just football.

Schools across the country are now going to be required to deliver at least two hours of PE each week and girls and boys will partake in the same sports in lessons and extra-curricular clubs.

The measures will be backed by over £600m in funding over the next two academic years starting in September 2023. The quality of PE and sports in primary schools is to be the main focus as many girls, historically, have been pushed away from sports at a young age.

The announcement, which coincides with International Women’s Day, comes after the data obtained by the Liberal Democrats suggested that the government were taking measures to neglect sporting opportunities rather than enhance them.

The Lib Dems found that 94 schools had sold their playing field over the past eight years with the government being held responsible for allowing that to happen. However, the announcement today does show an appetite to dispel this theory.

Leaving a lasting legacy

Almost from the instant the final whistle went at Wembley last July, the Lionesses have been talking about their desire to leave a lasting legacy behind. After today’s government announcement, the Lionesses captain, Leah Williamson, said:

“The success of the summer has inspired so many young girls to pursue their passion for 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.”

Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, added:

“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.”

Final thought

Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, was unable to act on the initial letter sent by the Lionesses last year as he lost out to Liz Truss in the battle for number ten. However, after taking over from Truss not long after he has evidently made an effort to seize on the opportunity presented to him by the England women’s national football team.

It seems astonishing that children weren’t already required to undertake two hours of PE per week especially when you consider one in three children in the UK are currently classed as overweight or obese. A regular exercise routine for all children should be promoted, not just for the physical health benefits, but also for mental health.

The leisure centre facility on Chapel Lane in the town will be managed by Lex Leisure who are ready to give a warm welcome to new and existing members and visitors.

New members can sign up for a membership for just £37.50 per month at www.leisurecentre.com/bingham-arena/founder-offer with the price frozen for three years and residents can find out more at www.leisurecentre.com/bingham-arena.

It will be the first facility locally to welcome significant swimming galas, competitions and events, thanks to a 330-seater swimming pool spectating area, presenting new opportunities with swim instructors qualified to Swim England standard.

Wonderful new facilities

The site includes Bingham Jubilee Community Hall which can host a range of events for audiences up to 300 people, courtesy of part-funding from D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership and support from Bingham Town Council.

Leader of Rushcliffe Borough Council, Cllr Simon Robinson visited the site ahead of its opening to take a look at the brand-new facilities.

He said: “I’m absolutely delighted to see the progress we’ve made with this wonderful new facility for the people of Bingham and Rushcliffe at a time new investment in our growing communities is so important. 

“The Bingham community will benefit from this new site and with a prominent location right by the A46, it can be accessed by those further afield too.

“This site has something for everybody from swimming to gym to a fitness suite and other exercise and then there’s Bingham Jubilee Community Hall also providing a great space for events and will be available to book soon.

“The six lane swimming pool features really good spectator seating for galas and competitions, I think it looks terrific and will attract a lot of talented athletes to practise and compete here.

“As well as the leisure centre, we wanted to offer the employment side as well at this site so the office space at the Enterprise Centre was vital.

“We completed research prior that found there was a big demand for businesses who wanted to stay in the town so the twelve new office spaces on site will help to retain local talent.

“These buildings are a real flagship for green technologies too and we’ve invested in a carbon clever and energy efficient site and we’re proud the building has 78% lower carbon emission rates than other leisure sites locally.

“Bingham Arena is a great new facility, come and see it for yourself when it opens its doors later this month.”

Current memberships to transfer over

Current memberships and bookings at the Toot Hill site will transfer over to the new state-of-the-art 5500 sq m leisure centre which will be home to an 80-station fitness studio with two group exercise studios and an indoor cycling studio.

The current Bingham Leisure Centre at Toot Hill School will close although facilities will remain available for outdoor sports including hockey, tennis and athletics and sports hall activities outside of school hours. These will also be managed by Lex Leisure.

Parkwood Leisure’s Managing Director, Glen Hall said: “The new Bingham Arena is a fantastic addition to the Borough’s leisure facilities, and further enhances the leisure, health and fitness provision for the community of Bingham and the surrounding area.

“It’s also a great showcase for what can be done to improve the energy efficiency of leisure facilities, which is something that we’re working hard to do across all our sites.”

Lex Leisure will continue to communicate with existing users and clubs via newsletters and social media channels over the coming weeks to confirm arrangements of the switch to the new site.

The offices at the new Bingham Enterprise Centre are now open for business from courtesy of funding from the European Regional Development Fund and Local Growth Funding from D2N2 Local Enterprise Partnership.

The 12 self-contained high spec fibre connected office suites over two floors range in size from 47 square metres (506 square feet) to 108 square metres (1,163 square feet) and have on-site parking.

To find out more on lets on pro-business flexible lease terms please e-mail propertyservices@rushcliffe.gov.uk or call 0115 914 8344.

European Regional Development Fund

The project is receiving £1.675 million of funding from the England European Regional Development Fund as part of the European Structural and Investment Funds Growth Programme 2014-2020. 

Established by the European Union, the European Regional Development Fund helps local areas stimulate their economic development by investing in projects which will support innovation, businesses, create jobs and local community regenerations.  For more information visit https://www.gov.uk/european-growth-funding.