Burnham's plan to let fans drink in football stands faces backlash from fans, police and his own allies
From the Newshound archive · first published 23 September 2026 · last updated 26 September 2026.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham's proposal to review the standing prohibition on alcohol in football grounds has drawn opposition from across the political spectrum, with Education Secretary Lucy Powell among the critics, cautioning that the "good behaviour" of recent decades could be placed "at risk." Burnham floated the idea after watching Everton take on Wolverhampton Wanderers alongside Canadian premier Mark Carney, arguing that the existing rules amount to "discrimination" against football supporters who face restrictions that rugby and cricket fans do not. A Football Supporters' Association poll showed that UK fans themselves are against lifting the prohibition, while police chiefs pushed back firmly, citing alcohol as a driver of violent disorder.
Liverpool West Derby MP Ian Byrne described the UK Football Policing Unit's response as "sickening" after the unit invoked the Taylor Report — the inquiry that arose from the Hillsborough disaster — in its argument against easing the restrictions.
The prohibition dates to the hooliganism of the 1980s and applies across the top five tiers of English men's football; Burnham has suggested that a trial run could be considered ahead of any permanent change.