News Release

10th July 2002

MIDLANDS BIDDERS SHOULD ASK FOR COMPENSATION

The House of Commons Culture Media and Sport Select Committee today issued its report: "Wembley National Stadium Project: Into Injury Time". Michael Fabricant, a member of the Committee, says that "there are important questions that are raised regarding the rôle of the Secretary of State, Tessa Jowell, in all this and her encouragement of bids for alternative stadiums in the west midlands which cost local tax payers £700,000".

Among other things, the Report states: "In not making the implications of the FA staging agreement with Wembley clear to Birmingham, the FA denied the partnership behind that proposal the opportunity to make a realistic assessment of its chances of success. This is particularly unsatisfactory in the light of the assertion by the partnership that the initiative came first from the Football Association itself."

But Michael Fabricant adds: "In answer to questions from me" (paragraph 428 of the evidence sessions published by the House of Commons), "Tessa Jowell (Secretary of State for Culture Media & Sport) admits that she knew all along about the staging agreement which keeps the Stadium in London. Birmingham and Coventry never had a snowball's chance in hell unless they were able to negotiate some sort of buy out with the Football Association which could cost untold millions. And even that is in doubt. But Birmingham and Coventry were never told about this agreement. So what were Tessa Jowell and her Sports Minister, Richard Caborn, playing at when they both encouraged bids from the west midlands but kept the staging agreement secret?

"I believe the bidders are perfectly justified in claiming compensation from the Government to refund council tax payers and private money. This amounts to over £1,000,000. They might also now wish to seek a judicial review into the handling of this whole issue."