This news featured in Ealing Nub News, Ealing Today, and the Ealing Times. 

Ealing Central and Acton MP Rupa Huq has attacked proposals for a breakaway European Super League and has committed to working cross-party in Parliament to stop it happening.

Huq said she would support efforts to block plans by six English clubs — Manchester United, Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur — to take part in the competition.

The league would replace the UEFA Champions League for the clubs, who would play other top European sides, such as Barcelona and Real Madrid, every year without having to qualify.

The MP said: “Proposals for a breakaway European Super League are nothing short of an attempt to stitch up competition for a few elite clubs at the top. These proposals would do immense damage to football and communities across the UK.

“Football governance should be about the millions of fans it serves – not the interests of an elite. Myself and colleagues will therefore do all we can in Parliament to stop the Super League going ahead.

“The Huq household is traditionally a Chelsea one, despite the fact that local clubs include QPR and Brentford. But after this cash-fuelled carve up decision from its owner, at my son’s insistence we’re now thinking of switching our allegiance to Hanwell Town FC which is genuinely rooted in the London Borough of Ealing. They need the ticket sales more than anyone and are at the other end of the spectrum from fat cat clubs who trample over the fans.”

Nicknamed The Geordies, Hanwell Town FC men’s team play in the Isthmian League South Central Division at Powerday Stadium in Perivale.

Rupa joined a summit on Tuesday convened by Labour leader Keir Starmer MP to discuss ways forward. Shadow Minister for Sport, Alison McGovern MP condemned the proposal from six Premier League clubs for not offering fair competition and urgently requested that the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to investigate whether plans for a so-called ‘European Super League’ would fall foul of laws to uphold fairness.

McGovern said: “We urge supporters across the country to add their names to this letter and show the groundswell of feeling against these damaging proposals, that would do immense damage to football and communities across the country.

“This must now be a watershed moment. We cannot simply go back to the status quo in which smaller clubs struggle to stay afloat and fans are excluded from decisions. The Government must get on with its fan-led review and ensure that football is given back to the people who built it.”

Football fans can add their name to the petition here.

Huq added: “Along with assisting the homeless, and even free broadband, the idea of more fan involvement in football is just another example of a policy proposed in the last Labour manifesto that’s now being proved ultimately correct – in spades!”