John Leech
Main Page: John Leech (Liberal Democrat - Manchester, Withington)Department Debates - View all John Leech's debates with the Ministry of Justice
(12 years, 6 months ago)
Commons Chamber Mr John Leech (Manchester, Withington) (LD)
    
        
    
    
    
    
    
        
        
        
            Mr John Leech (Manchester, Withington) (LD) 
        
    
        
    
        The decision to hold the FA cup final at 5.15 pm to allow more football fans to watch the game after their teams have played earlier in the day means that City and Wigan fans will struggle to get back by train. Does the Minister agree that the solution for the future is to reinstate the FA cup final as the showpiece game on the last day of the season, the week after the last round of the league games?
 The Minister of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Hugh Robertson)
    
        
    
    
    
    
    
        
        
        
            The Minister of State, Department for Culture, Media and Sport (Hugh Robertson) 
        
    
        
    
        Everyone across the House will have been appalled by the scenes that we saw at Wembley last Saturday afternoon and early evening. Both the FA and the police are looking very carefully into what happened and the causes behind it. Clearly, kick-off times is one element of that. It would be wrong of anyone here to prejudge that investigation, not least because I am almost sure there will be a criminal element to it, but if any action needs to be taken, the hon. Gentleman has my assurance that that will take place.