Sil 2007: Cameron Wary Of Government Intervention

Conservative Party Leader David Cameron revealed a ‘hands-off’ approach to sport
governance at last night’s Sport Industry Lecture 2007, stating that he believed
that government should only intervene in the running of football in ‘extreme
situations’.

Responding to a question from the floor after his inaugural sport policy
speech as to whether the government should get more involved in helping football
get its house in order, Cameron responded by stating that he believed that
sport’s governing bodies should be ‘trusted to do the job themselves’.

‘I believe that football shouldn’t need government intervention,’ he stated.
‘National governing bodies should be empowered to deliver in their areas with
the government there to help and advise with intervention only required in
extreme situations.

‘You shouldn’t nationalise the running of sport through government. You
provide funding and trust it to run itself. Government is about devolving power
and responsibility, not controlling everything from the centre.

‘That said, there are clearly problems in football and the test of how it is
governed is now, with the impending Burns and Lord Stevens’ reports. These
reports should provide a clearer insight as to how football can proceed and I
look forward to seeing the outcome of those studies.’

Cameron criticised the heavy involvement of government in sport under the
Labour Party, stating: ‘It sometimes seems that every government department
wants to run UK sport. We’ve got the DCMS, the DfES, the DoH, the DCLG and the
Home Office all claiming a role. Sometimes even the MOD, the FCO and DfID get
involved.

‘I’m a politician and even I’m confused. I think it’s time to consider
setting up a British equivalent of the Australian Sports Commission to
co-ordinate sports policy across different departments and act as a champion for
sport in government.’