Kerry McCarthy Labour MP for Bristol East
Yesterday, MPs debated how to tackle discrimination in football, following a rise in racist incidents at games. It’s shocking to hear Tottenham Hotspur and England defender Danny Rose say that he can’t wait to retire as a result of the racist abuse he has received.
In response to the Minister’s Statement, Tom Watson praised how Raheem Sterling continues to challenge unfair media portrayals which fuel racism, such as the contrasting coverage of him buying a house for his mum compared to a white player doing the same.
There is no place for racism in any part of our society. John Barnes has correctly said that if every racist at football was silenced, stadiums would still be full of racists. It’s not enough just to stamp out expressions of racism, it is crucial that the underlying causes of racism are addressed as well. There should be zero tolerance for this in our national sport.
