Sunday Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Labour bid to ban haters this week
ONLINE race haters could be banned from football grounds as early as this week if Boris Johnson accepts an offer from Labour.
Keir Starmer will tell MPs to vote with Tories if they agree to emergency legislation to impose the ban before Parliament rises for the summer on Thursday.
But if the PM rejects the
Labour leader’s olive branch, he will miss the window of opportunity and the law will not be changed for two years.
Shadow Culture
Secretary Jo Stevens said:
“Black footballers can’t wait another two seasons for the Conservatives to act. They need to change the law immediately.
“And if they do, we’ll back it.” Mr Johnson wants to extend football banning orders – which allow magistrates to stop fans going to matches – so they include people who use social media platforms to post vile racist messages. But his proposed changes to the Online Safety Bill would not come into force until 2023 at the earliest.
If the PM acts now, he will have the overwhelming backing of voters, according an exclusive poll for the Sunday Mirror.
It shows 65% support taking away racists’ online anonymity. Fewer than one in 10 are against the idea.
And four out of 10 think the racists and the social media companies that carry their vile posts should both be prosecuted. Half of those polled said taking the knee was not a political gesture – only a display of opposition to racism.
But more than half believe the disgusting behaviour of fans who injured 19 police officers at the final may have jeopardised our chances of hosting the 2030 World Cup.
Lib Dem peer David Goddard said: “It is only by the grace of God nobody was killed.”