PETE WISHART TACKLES MURPHY OVER FANTASY FOOTBALL ASSURANCE.

PETE WISHART TACKLES MURPHY OVER FANTASY FOOTBALL ASSURANCE.

UK GOVERNMENT IN DISARRAY OVER TEAM GB.

On the day of Scotland’s football match against the Netherlands, it emerged that the UK Government is in disarray over Team GB proposals.

An FOI request has revealed that the Scotland Office has no record of written assurances from FIFA that the creation of a Team GB would not endanger football in Scotland. This is despite an explicit statement by UK Sports Minister (Gerry Sutcliffe) that the UK Government had received written assurances.

SNP Culture and Sport spokesperson, Pete Wishart, has called on the Secretary of State for Scotland to clarify his position.

Commenting, Mr Wishart said:

“Time and time again, Jim Murphy has told us that there are written assurances from FIFA that Team GB would not endanger Scottish football yet his department now admit that he has no such document.

“The future of our national teams is far too important to be treated as a political football, and Jim Murphy’s fantasy football assurances over the future of the Scotland team are not worth the paper they apparently aren’t even written on. “The cut and shut creation of a GB side would endanger Scotland’s long term ability to compete in international football, and the UK Government must ditch their crazy proposals and look at ways in which the situation can be resolved. “We must allow no precedent that could be used against us in the future, and no reason or argument given by those who seek to change the status quo has addressed that. “The SFA are opposed, the Tartan Army are opposed and the overwhelming majority of football fans are all against Gordon Brown’s meddling team merger plans. “The future of Scotland’s national game must be assured. Jim Murphy needs to get off the bench and stand up for Scottish football, and he should start by clarifying his position.”