Andy Burnham calls for England to boycott the 2018 World Cup

Andy Burnham, Shadow Health Secretary and one of the contenders to be the next Labour leader, has called for England to boycott the 2018 World Cup.

Burnham, who has previously been Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, has said that this is because England needs to make clear their stance on corruption in Fifa. This comes following a number bribery charges brought against senior Fifa officials.

The 2018 World Cup is going to be held in Russia – Burnham also noted that “the situation with Russia and the Ukraine” was also cause for concern. Talking on Pienaar’s Politics on the BBC, Burnham argued:

“I have long had my doubts about Russia holding the next World Cup. I voiced those doubts when the situation developed in the Ukraine. I couldn’t see how the whole world could go to Russia as if nothing had happened.

“And now with all these new allegations swirling around Fifa, I personally believe there is a pretty over-whelming case for taking a stand and saying we should not participate in the next World Cup given the current appalling state of Fifa.”

“Prince William put it very well yesterday. The people who love the game, the people who play the game, the people who pay their money every week, are badly let down by those who lead it.”

“I’ve been listening carefully to what the FA has been saying over the last 48 hours, and they have talked about a boycott. But then said only if others do it with us.

“I think they should be a bit stronger. Many people feel it’s just not acceptable – particularly when you look at the alleged corruption in Fifa and then the situation with Russia and the Ukraine. We have a country here whose sovereignty has been breached. It’s frontier has been breached. How can the football world just say that doesn’t matter?”