The Everton-loving Prime Minister said he hates VAR as much as the next football fan because it ‘kills the spontaneity’ of celebrations. He believes it ‘hasn’t levelled things up’
Andy Burnham has suggested he could make banning VAR a key part of Labour’s next general election manifesto. The Everton-loving PM says he hates the dreaded tech as much as the next fan because it “kills the spontaneity” of celebrations.
He said: “I often believed that other clubs, bigger clubs, Liverpool, Man United, got decisions, whereas Everton, my club, didn’t. So refs were a bit more – they tended to give decisions that way, and I thought: ‘Oh well, VAR will level things up’.
“But it really hasn’t levelled things up in my view. So football, going to the match, is about those moments when the goal goes in and [everyone celebrates].
“That’s what it’s about. But then you do that, and it’s VAR checking the goal. You’d accept it if it got the decisions right, but it doesn’t get the decisions right.”
When pushed by Ladbible over whether he could ban it, Burnham said: “You’re putting an idea in my head. You’re writing my next manifesto.”
Many supported the PM’s dislike for VAR, with one posting on X: “Agreed with him on this. VAR has killed the game and brought nothing good. Keep goal line tech but use it for corners and throw-ins…VAR for decisions can go in the bin.”
But another posted: “Don’t ban VAR, have a word with the blokes watching it. The actual system is outstanding.”
It follows confirmation that the Prime Minister has given the green light to start drilling in the Jackdaw gas field in the North Sea. The decision by the North Sea Transition Authority brings an end to months of uncertainty surrounding the project’s future, with owner Adura claiming it could deliver approximately 6% of UK North Sea gas production.
Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh, who authorised the NSTA to grant drilling consent, said the move will “support the country’s energy security with homegrown gas this winter”.
Burnham added the decision will “protect hundreds of jobs and help keep millions of homes warm”, but emphasised it wouldn’t compromise the Government’s renewable energy targets.
He said: “At a time when people are really struggling, it’s right that we look in a responsible way at maximising the existing energy reserves we have in Britain that could help. We’re committed to moving towards renewable energy and reaching net zero by 2050. But even on our ambitious climate path, we’ll still require oil and gas as part of our energy needs for decades to come.”
The drilling project is one of two – along with the Rosebank oil field off Shetland – which received approval from the previous Conservative government.