Labour will not introduce a 10 per cent levy on Premier League transfers if it wins next month’s general election, insists Keir Starmer.
Shadow culture and sport secretary Thangam Debbonaire appeared to suggest that Labour could introduce the transfer tax when she said earlier this week that she would “look at everything” proposed in Tracey Crouch’s fan-led review of football governance.
But today Starmer killed off the idea, telling LBC’s Nick Ferrari it was “not part of our plans for football governance”.
The Labour leader added: “Let me just kill it dead, we’re not looking at that.”
The 10 per cent levy was proposed in the fan-led review chaired by former Conservative MP Crouch in 2021.
Described as a “solidarity transfer levy”, it would have taxed Premier League clubs’ domestic and international player transfers, with the money being redistributed down the football pyramid.
The review estimated a 10 per cent levy would have raised £160m per year between 2016 and 2021, enough to fund a grant to ensure League One and Two clubs broke even – along with grassroots playing facilities for adults and children.
Labour’s manifesto contains a commitment to “reform football governance”, giving fans more of a say in how their clubs are run and introducing an independent regulator – another of Dame Tracey’s proposals.
The current Conservative government drew up plans for the regulator but the bill did not pass in time before recess after PM Rishi Sunak called a snap election.
Additional reporting by PA