Safe-standing: Nearly two-thirds of MPs back change in football stadium seating law, says to YouGov poll

Nearly two-thirds of MPs believe the all-seater rule should be scrapped to allow safe-standing in English football's top two tiers, a YouGov survey has found.

Grounds in the Premier League and Championship have had to be all-seater ever since the 1989 Hillsborough disaster but crackdowns on persistent standing have had little impact on behaviour and fans have repeatedly voted for a repeal of the law in poll after poll.

Until last year, though, there had been little sign that opinions were changing among lawmakers but it now seems MPs are on the same page as supporters.

According to a survey of 100 MPs, 62 backed safe-standing, with 22 against and 15 undecided. And among those who consider themselves football fans, three-quarters supported safe-standing.

The London-based firm also asked more than 2,000 adults what they thought about the return of legal standing areas in England's top two leagues and nearly half backed the idea, with more than a third saying they did not know. Only one in six were against changing the law.

But among those who said they have an interest in football, the number in favour leapt to seven out of 10, and for those who said they have a strong interest in the game, it went to nearly eight out of 10 - a number that tallies with several other polls of fans.

Richard Elliot, an associate director at YouGov, said: "Close to two-thirds of the 100 MPs surveyed support safe-standing areas and that support is even higher among the general public with a strong interest in football.

"The main reason given for opposition among MPs and the public was a belief that standing at stadiums can never be safe. So although there's strong support out there, there's still important work to do to address safety concerns."

The idea that standing at football grounds can never be safe has been widely held by politicians and football administrators but what was once a consensus has been evaporating for several reasons.

First, there has always been a contradiction in the law in that standing is considered safe in Leagues One and Two, Scotland, rugby grounds and even Premier League stadiums, as long as they are not being used for football.

Second, it has now been proven that the Hillsborough disaster was caused by poor policing and stadium management, not standing.

Third, the 'never safe' argument has been undermined by the experience of standing in Germany, Scandinavia and Scotland, where thousands of fans stand in properly designed and maintained standing sections every weekend.

And finally, the game itself has realised that most fans want the choice, standing fans make more noise and club stewards are tired of trying to police a rule few believe in anymore.

As a result, former sports minister Tracey Crouch dropped her earlier opposition to safe-standing last year and announced a government review of the legislation.

Safe-standing campaigners had hoped that this could mean the rule would be scrapped in time for next season but Brexit and the ongoing criminal cases related to Hillsborough have combined to make that very unlikely.

In fact, Crouch's successor Mims Davies is also waiting for two further studies to be completed before she makes her mind up.

The first is an audit to find out how many fans really do get hurt in accidents in stadiums, as the current data is believed to be meaningless, and the second is a review of what measures clubs and local authorities would need to take to ensure safety at their grounds if the all-seater rule is relaxed.

PA