What should sport expect from Andy Burnham and Lisa Nandy?
There’s an Evertonian in Downing Street, a Toffee looking to unstick what he calls “40 years of neoliberalism”. But in doing so Andy Burnham has left his constituent buddy and long-term ally Lisa Nandy at DCMS, with the “digital” brief dropped in 2023 returning to 100 Parliament Street.
Some in Westminster believe Nandy, a Wigan Athletic supporter and lover of the nation’s towns – who has taken herself off of Twitter (X) in a stand against the very companies she’s employed to keep in check – was looking for a promotion into a brief seen as more senior than the one which set up the Independent Football Regulator, is in charge of overseeing the BBC Charter, has control of huge sums of sporting and arts funds, and will now have a say on the incoming social media ban, unlicensed betting sponsorship consultation and more.
Alas, Nandy stays, and will serve Burnham – even though some industry figures suggest the sector wouldn’t have missed her.
But with a regime overseen by the first Prime Minister to have formerly been secretary of state for digital, culture, media and sport, what can we expect from the self-proclaimed sports-mad Burnham?
Burnham the sporty sec?
“Expect No10 and DCMS to be more engaged,” Alan Sendorek, the Downing Street advisor now with Flint Global – whose former boss James Purnell now serves as Burnham’s chief of staff – told City PM. “His No10 policy team is still taking shape, but expect the new PM’s interest in sport to be a key part of his political persona. Officials at DCMS will be conscious of the extra interest from the centre.
“Burnham’s government is more likely than his recent predecessors to see state intervention as a solution to perceived market issues. For example, he was a signatory to the ‘Saving Our Beautiful Game’ manifesto for change in 2020, which argued that self-regulation in football had failed and proposed an independent football regulator. This was subsequently adopted by the fan-led review and, ultimately, by the government.”
The government last week launched a consultation which could ban unlicensed betting brands from sponsoring football clubs. Scott Oxley, commercial partner at Pinsent Masons, told City PM: “The reality is that some clubs and rights holders could lose sponsorship income and the consultation will help policy makers better understand the scale of that risk.
“For ministers, success will ultimately depend on whether the Government can close a perceived loophole without leaving sports teams and clubs facing a funding gap that cannot easily be replaced.”
On the agenda
On the agenda could be more of the same, given the philosophy of the secretary of state hasn’t altered following a reshuffle. There are yet to be public calls to look at such issues as free-to-air sport and wider reform of broadcasting – but Burnham could change that.
Added Sendorek: “Burnham has publicly expressed concern about sports ‘disappearing from view’ behind paywalls as they ‘chase the money,’ with particular reference to cricket.
“Having ordered a review of the listed events regime when he was Secretary of State for DCMS in 2008, we should not be surprised if he returns to the subject.
“His position on gambling has hardened over time. As culture secretary, he implemented the Gambling Act passed in 2005, including authorising casino licensing areas. As Mayor of Greater Manchester, he has highlighted the effects of gambling on people’s mental and physical health and become openly critical of gambling companies’ business model. Last year, he joined a coalition of 38 councils in calling for stronger local powers to limit the spread of betting shops.”
While some departments got the mother of all shake-ups this week, DCMS has been left relatively alone. That could see Burnham want to put his own spin on the department, or leave it to his Greater Manchester buddy Nandy to do with as she sees fit.