Keir Starmer rules out 10% transfer tax on Premier League clubs

Britain's Labour Party has pledged to bring forward football governance reforms if elected but won't pursue a tax raid

Labour leader Keir Starmer holds a Bristol Rovers football shirt. Getty Images

Britain's opposition Labour Party will not introduce a 10 per cent levy on Premier League transfers if it wins the 2024 general election, party leader Keir Starmer said on Tuesday, in an attempt to end speculation that the tax was being considered.

Reforms of the laws governing football clubs would still be introduced by a Labour Party government but the fee is off the table, he said.

Labour reforms would be designed to prevent breakaways like the short-lived European Super League.

Six English premier league clubs - Manchester City, Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, and Tottenham - announced in 2021 they would join a proposed new European Super League, which was scrapped two days later following a public backlash.

Shadow culture and sport secretary Thangam Debbonaire sparked reports Labour could introduce the transfer levy on Monday when she said she would “look at everything” proposed in a fan-led review of football governance.

The 10 per cent levy was proposed in the fan-led review chaired by former Conservative MP Dame Tracey Crouch in 2021.

Less than 24 hours later, Mr Starmer killed off the idea, telling LBC’s Nick Ferrari it was “not part of our plans for football governance”.

“Let me just kill it dead, we’re not looking at that,” he said.

Keir Starmer (centre) walks on the pitch at Bristol Rovers with club chairman Tom Goring and Thangam Debbonaire. Getty Images

Mr Starmer has already announced plans for Labour to introduce its own football governance bill that would make sure lower-tier clubs are financially sustainable.

"Too often, clubs and fans are being let down by the wild west within the football pyramid," Mr Starmer said on a trip to League 1 club Bristol Rovers FC.

"That's why we will legislate for the long-awaited independent football regulator. In the face of continued threats of breakaways from some European clubs, we have to do this,” he added. “On my watch, there will be no super league-style breakaways from English football."

In its manifesto, Labour said: "We will never allow a closed league of select clubs to be siphoned off from the English football pyramid."

Ms Debbonaire was asked during the visit to Bristol Rovers whether she would consider reviving the transfer levy, which was recommended in a 2021 fan-led review but not taken up by the Conservatives in their version of the bill.

That legislation was set aside after the general election was called for July 4.

"I'm going to look at everything again that was in Tracey Crouch's fan-led review," Ms Debbonaire said.

"A club like this, it's not the wealthiest club in the world, and it wants to be able to invest in infrastructure.

"It wants to be able to make sure that facilities are good for the future. That does take money, so I'm going to look at absolutely everything that might help increase the financial sustainability."

However, she did not commit to a timeframe.