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Premier League transfers tax ruled out by Starmer
Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer with Thangam Debbonaire (right) after printing football shirts during a visit to Bristol Rovers FC while on the General Election campaign trail, June 17, 2024

LABOUR will not introduce a 10 per cent tax on Premier League transfers, Keir Starmer clarified today after reports his party was considering the move.

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 the recent fan-led review of football governance.

But this morning, Starmer killed off the idea, telling LBC’s Nick Ferrari it was “not part of our plans for football governance.”

Asked about introducing the levy, the Labour leader said: “Let me just kill it dead, we’re not looking at that.”

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

Described as a “solidarity transfer levy,” it would have taxed transfers between Premier League clubs and between Premier League clubs and overseas sides, with the money being redistributed further down the football pyramid.

The review estimated a 10 per cent levy would have raised £160 million per year between 2016 and 2021, enough to fund a grant to ensure League One and Two clubs broke even – along with grassroots playing facilities for adults and children.

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