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Labour offering to share funds with other parties?

You would have thought that the government had enough to do, sorting out the economy, taking care of the Gurkhas and reforming MPs expenses. But no: they want to take over the beautiful game. Today’s Times carries the news that Culture Secretary and Everton supporter Andy Burnham wants English clubs who qualify for the Champions League to be forced to share their prize money and television fees with other Premiership clubs. Wouldn’t the blue halves of Manchester, Liverpool and north London just love that!

There’s an incredible irony in Manchester United, who earn their money on the pitch and in football-related commercial deals having to pay out money to their neighbours, currently riding on a Abu Dhabi oil-induced financial high. All that pooling funds would do is level down English clubs, leading to a lower dominance in Europe. Maybe that is Burnham’s secret agenda? Typical Labour – if we can’t have it, no-one should!

But there is another way of looking at it. Why should one group have an inbuilt financial advantage over another, which helps to perpetuate a divide? In fact, why not extend Burnham’s agenda into politics? At the last General Election, the following amounts were declared as spent to the Electoral Commission:

Con £17, 852 K

Lab £17,939 K

LibDem £4,324 K

Green £160 K

BNP £106 K

Obviously a huge inbuilt advantage for Labour and the Conservatives. So you know what to do, Andy – offer to share party funds with the BNP. ‘Don’t be ridiculous!’ you say? Ah – does it only work where your team are the underdogs?

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