Member

The backstop power is what the Bill is all about. It started as a rallying call against the breakaway European Super League and ended with the creation of an independent football regulator with backstop powers to intervene in financial distribution between the Premier League and the English Football League if they fail to agree on a deal. Sadly, the Bill has become all about money, not fans. Recourse to lawyers is inevitable, and I wish the noble Lord, Lord Pannick, and his colleagues well in that context. That said, the Government have worked in another place to improve the deficient backstop, for which they should be thanked. I echo the tributes paid to the Minister for her assiduous hard work on the Bill, which cannot have been easy at any stage.