ANDY BURNHAM SIGNALS HE MAY LIFT FOOTBALL ALCOHOL BAN

Andy Burnham has signalled he may lift the ban on alcohol in football stands, saying it is unfair for supporters to be treated differently from fans of other sports. Speaking to reporters on a flight to New York, the prime minister said football fans should not be "singled out" and argued the legislation dates from an era when the game was "very different". He said there was a case for removing the discrimination and suggested it could be trialled. Burnham, a committed Everton supporter, said he was not backing away from "a long-held view of mine".

The Sporting Events (Control of Alcohol etc) Act 1985 bans drinking within sight of the pitch in England and Wales, applying, according to one report, to the top five tiers of men's football. Margaret Thatcher's government introduced the law, and then-Home Secretary Leon Brittan said alcohol was a "major contributory factor" in violent and disorderly behaviour at grounds. Rugby and cricket face no such restriction. Burnham criticised the ban before becoming prime minister, while attending a rugby league match at Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium, where fans could drink in the stands.

The Football Supporters' Association welcomed the move and described the legislation as outdated; one report said the English Football League backed it too. Police warned that changing the law without considering its impact on safety would be "incredibly rash". A spokesperson for the UK Football Policing Unit said the unit would welcome a meeting with the prime minister to explain the challenges the changes would bring to policing and safety. The spokesperson said other sports do not see the same violence and criminal behaviour from supporters, with alcohol often a significant factor.