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Scots MPs back British Olympic soccer team



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Published Date: 14 November 2008
By Rhiannon Edward
A GROUP of Scotland-linked MPs have lent their backing to a United Kingdom football team competing at the London Olympics in 2012.
A total of 18 MPs who are either Scottish or represent Scottish constituencies signed a Commons motion saying football "should not be any different from other competing sports and our young talent should be allowed to show their skills on the world
stage".

The football governing bodies of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are all opposed to a Great Britain team, fearing it would stop them competing as individual nations in future tournaments.

But the motion comes after assurances from world governing body Fifa that Team GB would not jeopardise the status of any home nation.

Jim Murphy, the Scottish Secretary, said recently that he had spoken to Fifa's general secretary who told him the body was likely to view the Olympic competition as a "one-off under-23 tournament".

The 18 Scotland-linked MPs were among 21 to sign an Early Day Motion put down by Labour's Jim Sheridan (Paisley and Renfrewshire North).

It reads: "This House welcomes the assurances given by Fifa that a 2012 Olympics UK football team would not undermine any of the home countries' ability to compete in their own right in future events."

It was signed by 12 Labour colleagues with seats north of the Border, as well as David Mundell, the shadow Scot- tish secretary, (Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale).

The MPs are: John Robertson (Glasgow North West), Jim Devine (Livingston), Jim Hood (Lanark and Hamilton East), Brian Donohoe (Ayrshire Central), Anne Moffat (East Lothian), Mohammad Sarwar (Glasgow Central), Anne McGuire (Stirling), Russell Brown (Dumfries and Galloway), Michael Connarty (Linlithgow and Falkirk East), Anne Begg (Aberdeen South), Ian Davidson (Glasgow South West) and Jim McGovern (Dundee West).

Other Labour MPs putting their names to the motion were Edinburgh-born Doug Henderson (Newcastle Upon Tyne North), Greenock-born Andy Love (Edmonton), Coatbridge-born Jim Cunningham (Coventry South) and Dumfries-born Ian Gibson (Norwich North). Labour colleagues David Anderson (Blaydon), Alan Keen (Feltham and Heston) and Andrew Miller (Ellesmere Port and Neston) also signed it.





The full article contains 359 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 13 November 2008 9:40 PM
  • Source: The Scotsman
  • Location: Edinburgh
  • Related Topics: London Olympics 2012
 
1

Steve,

Bo'ness 14/11/2008 00:05:41
This should not be a political issue. The Scottish National Team is not the responsibility of a handful of Labour MPs. Keep your noses out!!
2

Rufus T. Firefly,

14/11/2008 00:09:39
Steve #1 Yes I agree.

Salmond needs to Butt Out.

From the Daily Mail.

"First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond last night branded fresh talk of a united Great Britain football team at the London Olympics ‘absolute madness’."
3

Edward,

14/11/2008 01:10:34
Labour are completely PATHETIC!
No one ins Scotland or Wales or Northern Ireland want a 'Team GB' Football team, so why do these scum MP's support it? simple they are sucking up to Brown, who is the biggest chancer out
By the way, where did this idiotic name 'Team GB' come from, surely for the Olympics its the UK team? or perhaps the 'Great Britain and Northern Ireland team'
4

Jwil,

14/11/2008 01:17:46
The labour group are acting like zombies with their brains conditioned by Brown. When are they going to stand up for Scotland? Mind you if they are all like the guy who was in Newsnight Scotland last night it doesn't surprise me.

As long as the SFA stand their ground there is nothing the Westminster government can do about it.
5

Guga II,

Rockall 14/11/2008 01:52:09
I assume the majority of these MPs were members of the "listening government", you know, the New Labour Sleaze and Corruption Party, who don't listen to the people at all.

The majority of people in Scotland don't want any part of a "British" football team, or any "British Week" or to be wrapped in the Butcher's Apron.

The only way the New Labour Sleaze and Corruption Party will listen to the people is when they get kicked out at the next general election.
6

subrosa,

14/11/2008 01:54:51
# 4

I agree with you about the labour bloke on Newsnicht. What a performance or should I say non-performance and he is a member of the finance committee who supposedly keep tabs on the treasury.

Again I agree about the SFA and I note our FM supports the SFA's stance.

A wee word to Westminster - don't mess with Scotland's football supporters. You'll get a great deal more than you bargained for. Now that's the advice of a non-football supporter who sees the bigger picture.
7

james 1st,

hamilton nz 14/11/2008 02:36:56
scotland soccer supporters be warned if you vote labour there will eventually be no scottish soccer team, that includes both rangers and celtic supporters.
people in scotland should forget both the cancer of the union and the cancer of the irish republic and concentrate on growing a strong scotland sportswise as well as economically and politically, this is a debt that they owe to both their children and generations to come
8

jamurai,

14/11/2008 04:05:20
I'd accept a GB team just for the olympics in return for being included in a joint bid with England for the 2018 world cup. Hopefully we'll be independent by then anyway and it shouldn't have any effect on our national team...actually, I can't see why the UK government would not urge a joint bid- oh, I forgot, they don't really give a flying fook about Scotland when it doesn't suit them to.
9

Pilrig.,

Livingston 14/11/2008 05:46:37
2 -Rufus - It's Murphy who needs to butt oot. he held a meeting with FIFA behind the SFA's back. Him and his amigos can sign all the Early Day Motions they like, it's the SFA who run fitba in this country no the MPs.
10

John S,

14/11/2008 06:33:08
Believe Jim Murphy-the 18 MPs-Fifa's general secretary or:-

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has again threatened the four British football associations if they try to field a combined team at the 2012 Olympics. The threat is simple-field a combined team and lose your individual associations.Mar 09, 2008

Fifa VP Jack Warner, from Trinidad and Tobago, expressed his determination to seek an end to Britain's special position within the organisation.May 30 2007.

Fifa David Will who served as Fifa VP for 17 years warned that such a move would threaten the separate identity of the four home nations in world football.1 Nov 2007.

UEFA's General Secretary David Taylor was quoted as saying, "It's the quickest way for Scotland to disappear off the international stage."
Taylor also said that we shouldn't trust FIFA when they say Scotland's position as an international side is safe. A pretty strong warning from a man in the know.Aug 30, 2008
11

Angleland Isover,

14/11/2008 06:55:28
If you are a unionist why would you want a separate football team, surely we are all britons.
12

The Former Mr. Angry,

North Britain 14/11/2008 08:55:35
Apart from the Olympics being the biggest waste of space and money for a long time creating a British football team to satisfy the deranged requirements of a power-obsessed PM and I'm not talking about Mugabe either, what else would you expect from this crowd of suck-ups?
13

Sunrise,

Fife 14/11/2008 09:04:58
For many of us it is much easier to understand than it seems to be for these Labour MPs.

Even in the text of the Article it is clear.

The Scotsman says:
"But the motion comes after assurances from world governing body Fifa that Team GB would not jeopardise the status of any home nation"

The MP’s Statement Says:
"This House welcomes the assurances given by Fifa that a 2012 Olympics UK football team would not undermine any of the home countries' ability to compete in their own right in future events."

But the the FIFA General Secretary told Jim Murphy:
"the body was likely to view the Olympic competition as a "one-off under-23 tournament".

*****The point is the FIFA general secretary offered no assurance as to the Status of International football for Scotland. He is a politician too and would never commit on anything like this. But more importantly he cannot commit because it is not his responsibility decide these things. These things are decided by the member of FAs who would vote on it.

No, Jim is playing politics here and very dangerous too if you care about a Scotland Team for the future.
14

,

14/11/2008 09:33:26
Comment Removed By Administrator
Reason:
15

Mr. Lachie Todd,

Edinburgh 14/11/2008 09:40:09
The Scots Secretary only received a verbal assurance from some obscure member of FIFA that IF an under-23 GB football team takes part in the London Olympics it was "unlikely" that it would affect the Home Nations unique articles of association? Nothing is set in stone!

In all probability, both the present Scots Secretary and this unknown FIFA official will not be in office come 2012?

This statement has not been welcomed by many of the World Unions?

Large and small emerging football nations who are members of the Asian Football Association, African Football Confederation, Football Association of Oceania and Carribean members of the Confederation of North, Central, and Carribean Football Associations, are
unhappy about this temporary arrangement!

Unless Fifa call a meeting of the world football associations and take a vote on this decision it is
not worth tuppence!

It would be tragic IF after the event FIFA reneged
on its loosely based verbal agreement and the Celtic Nations were left with supporting an English dominated UK team!
16

AJ Fife,

14/11/2008 10:25:42
Westminster has stripped the nation of our youth in the Great War, created an industrial wilderness in the 1970s and 80s, repeatedly raped our natural resources and now they want to take away our fitba team.

Any Scot supporting this, is simply, A TRAITOR!
17

troonjambo,

Troonofcourse! 14/11/2008 11:20:53
Why have we never been told about English fans also being against this idea? Anyone who thinks it is only the Scots, N. Irish and Welsh who don't want this may be surprised to know that the English Supporters Federation are also backing the " No TeamGB " campaign.
Check it out at www.noteamgb.com
All the spinning that "Seb" can muster will never change the minds of any sensible Scottish football fan.
18

Toast,

14/11/2008 11:20:56
Just shows how totally out of touch with their constituents these parasites are,we need a general election now.
19

troonjambo,

Troon 14/11/2008 11:23:33
Sorry to any English fans reading my previous post :

Should have said ... Football Supporters Federation ...

I hasten to add that I welcome their support on this matter.
20

Calum Crubag,

14/11/2008 12:37:14
If Labour are so bothered about Scottish atheltes taking part, why don't they support a Scottish team entry? Makes sense.
21

Calum Crubag,

14/11/2008 12:39:05
#17 - because many English still think that England and Britain are the same. The English don't even have a proper national anthem. Is GSTQ for England or Britain? What about patriotic English republicans? What do they sing?
22

Shug,

14/11/2008 12:50:46
16 Your a bampot. Only a game.

Totally academic any way as I doubt any current Scots player would make the squad
23

JayDeeTee,

14/11/2008 13:02:57
#17. Quite right too. We should ALL have out own team. I hope that odious Coe guy listens to the English as well.
24

Neil Waugh,

Old Strathcona 14/11/2008 13:50:07
Yet another issue on the door steps for Salmond come the general election. Scottish Labour, the party that sold out Scottish football. And the geniuses even put their names to it by voting on the meaningless motion.
Should be good for a few more SNP seats.
Oooo-lay, olay, olay, olay.
25

Mr. George Laird,

14/11/2008 14:00:53
Dear All

Hopefully no scotsman will join this British team nonsense.

There is no Britishness anymore, this country is Scotland.

This country is Scotland.

Yours sincerely

George Laird
The Campaign for Human Rights at Glasgow University
26

It's me!,

14/11/2008 14:18:32
MP's. Keep you political snouts out of Scottish football. There are more than enough problems in the country that are your business you should considerably reduce the number of weeks holidays you have to deal with them. Try a maximum of 42 days a year including public holidays which is just about the maximum any of your constituents are entitled do after a good number of years service.
27

Warden An' All, Reborn,

14/11/2008 15:57:57
For the record I support us having a GB football team, and it doesn't have to mean the beginning of the end for any of our teams in GREAT BRITAIN, though if you are not smart enough to realise why I'll let you stew in your own inadequacies.
28

GT1,

Glasgow 14/11/2008 16:03:57
Usual SNP hypocrites posting on here. For them, it's ok for Salmond to oppose the idea of a British team at the Olympics but not for the Labour Party to comment on the issue. And #24 - I've spoken to many non-political people who don't agree with you, they see this as SNP playing politics.
29

Pilrig.,

Livingston 14/11/2008 16:12:40
11 - no we're not.
Besides don't tell you're excited aboot this U23 one-off game in the Olympics ? It has aboot as much prestige as the East of Scotland Shield.
30

Pilrig.,

Livingston 14/11/2008 16:18:43
27 ; traffic warden - Ever heard of the phrase "thin end o'the wedge" ? isnae that difficult tae grasp.

You support this GB 'soccer' team ? You can hold yer supporters' meetings in a nearby bus shelter. Such is the popularity of the idea.
31

Peter,

Same old, same old from Labour 14/11/2008 16:26:28
GT1 - what folk are trying to point out is that GB team at Olympics equals bye bye Scottish National Side. Bye Bye UEFA Champions League and Cup (or whatever they are now calling it)for Rangers and Celtic as Uefa and Fifa will only recognise the English (aka British) Premier League for competition qualification purposes. In fact it would mean bye, bye Scottish League in all major respects. Whoopee, yet another Union benefit!
32

Pilrig.,

Livingston 14/11/2008 16:27:00
28 - SNP playing politics ? Au contraire, it was Jim Murphy and some Scottish Office minion having SECRET TALKS (according to the pro-Labour Daily Record). obviously Jim couldnae be bothered contacting the SFA, (who would have told him that on this matter he'd get sfa approval from them, anyway).
Cue the Westminster Team GB supporters' club signing an Early day motion celebrating that Jim got a less than unequivocal thumbs up from some minor minion at FIFA .

Anything to please Gordon !

33

Raymond Thomas Brooke,

Leven England 14/11/2008 16:33:27
No matter what we say politicians who occupy well paid ,well provided for intax free benefits etc etc at westminster are going to support any thing that keeps Britain together..See how they will all become loyal Scots and Englishmen when the inevitable separation is acheived Come on SNP reach your goal then we in England can have own parliament too
34

troonjambo,

Troon 14/11/2008 19:47:28
Calum Crubag:

The question " Why have we never been told about the English supporters' ......" etc was really aimed at the Scotsman editorial team.

I am well aware of the overall English attitude towards Scotland/Scottish football but I was trying to concentrate on the fact that ALL the supporters of the currently separate UK teams contain elements who are dead against this stupid and dangerous idea. The Unionist media have no desire to present this to the general public as it undermines their desire to imply that this is only an anti-English argument. IT IS NOT. I accept there are some idiots who do think that way but they just make it easier for the media to mislead non football supporters.

This argument is easy, in fact probably easier, to make without mixing in political viewpoints.

In case it matters to anyone, I'm a member of the SNP but prefer to post my political opinions on non-football related articles.

So - could all who feel strongly about this please try to avoid making it easy for this agrument to be trivialised by Seb Coe and all politicians for their own purposes?
35

JayDeeTee,

14/11/2008 20:41:45
And by the way....."Soccer"? What the eff is that. Has the Hootsman become Americanised now? The game is FOOTBALL....not bloody soccer!
36

Jock Tamson,

Scotland, Caledonia, Alba 14/11/2008 20:54:05
All uk Nations compete as themselves at the Olympic footie tourny. End of problem.

Only the host nation has to compete in all events, no?

London is the capital of England. Let England put forward the UK team. NIreland, Scotland and Wales put forward football teams only.

What's the problem - unless you have another motive?
37

Jock Tamson,

Scotland, Caledonia, Alba 14/11/2008 20:57:43
re 36. Better still. Scotland, England, Wales and N Ireland all enter teams.

This is in keeping with the present Fifa understanding as they all represent the UK.
38

old scrotum,

LEITH 14/11/2008 21:03:11
JOHNSTONE PRESS SHARES T,DAY ?????????
39

Jock Tamson,

Scotland, Caledonia, Alba 14/11/2008 21:05:14
Hindsight on 37, Wales, N Ireland and Scotland enter teams and remind Lord Coe that what he says can come back and haunt him.
40

Pilrig.,

Livingston 14/11/2008 23:45:47
FAO Jock Tamson - better still why no' drop the whole damned worthless idea. Naebody takes Olympic fitba serious anyway - except G. Broon of course.
41

Missbehave (Princess Fiona),

15/11/2008 00:02:19
I can understand the great reservations of a Great Britain team, but lets imagine the benefits.

1 it could give Scottish players the only chance in a lifetime of winning at international level.

2 Scotland could be identified as a place for international trade bringing jobs

3it could be a showcase for international advertising where England can help bring commerce.

its great that England can bring us such opportunities and they should be warmly thanked for saving out 2 major banks had scotland been independent, we would be relying on England for food parcels by now.
42

Dark Lochnagar,

15/11/2008 02:55:17
#41 Princess Fiona. You are making the MC case for women not being involved in football. (At least until they can explain fully the offside rule).
43

donald,

glasgow 15/11/2008 06:22:33
Labour's Team GB to be run by an Anglo Scot, Sir Alex Ferguson, would still in effect be an English team at home and abroad - and the Brown Union Jackasses know it.

Gos Save Our Team.
44

donald,

glasgow 15/11/2008 06:22:45
Labour's Team GB to be run by an Anglo Scot, Sir Alex Ferguson, would still in effect be an English team at home and abroad - and the Brown Union Jackasses know it.

Gos Save Our Team.
45

donald,

glasgow 15/11/2008 06:23:02
Gord Save Our Team.
46

dude,

wishaw 15/11/2008 16:58:26
'NATIONAL EMBARRASSMENT' as the relevation that Gordon Brown is an orangeman, was a member of the apprentise boys, now we all know where his hatred of Scotland comes from. How can a man with his extremist views become PM and actively destroy Scotlands in any way he can " i will do anything to prerserve the union"
in the name of 'brittishness'

 

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