We don’t often “do sport” here at Liberal Democrat Voice – perhaps a reflection of the Editorial Team’s interests – but it would seem strange not to mark last night’s extraordinary events in Mexico City’s Azteca Stadium where an English team put up one of its most memorable performances to win 3-2 against Mexico.
From an English Nationalist (a.k.a. Reform) perspective, it’s obviously a mixed blessing. England win – good – but with a team mostly consisting of people whose families would be on the next available plane out if they could gain power at the next election.
I’d argue though that England’s performance reflects the benefits of a liberal society. For example, it would be hard to argue that Harry Kane hasn’t benefited from freedom of movement, having sharpened his game in the German Bundesliga, or Jude Bellingham with Real Madrid. Admittedly, it’s not real freedom of movement, because they need a work visa following Brexit, but there has always been greater freedom of movement for talent.
Migration over decades has evidently broadened and deepened England’s footballing talent pool – it is noticeable how many members of the England squad are eligible to play for other countries through parents and grandparents. And they choose to play for England, which perhaps demonstrates a level of commitment to shame the racists.
But setting the politics aside, watching as people came together to get behind their team is a reminder of the unifying nature of sport in a world where there are too many people trying to divide us. Hopefully, a few people, especially a few politicians, might have their world view challenged as a result.
Elsewhere, there was another victory for Great Britain over the weekend, this one in Austria.
The Annual Congress of the ALDE (Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe) Party took place in Vienna, and with Baroness Sal Brinton term-limited, Baroness Julie Smith was nominated to fill a Vice-Presidential slot to replace her. These days, it isn’t a given that a British candidate will be successful given the growth in member parties and a post-Brexit loss of influence, but Team FIRC (Federal International Relations Committee), led by David Chalmers, got the job done.
Congratulations to Julie, and to the delegation, on a notable achievement!
* Mark Valladares is the Monday Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice.
Follow @libdemvoice.org on Bluesky
Like us on Facebook
Subscribe to our feed
Sign-up for our daily email digest
Plans for horse laundry facility at farm approved
Big money should not buy elections
The infected blood scandal highlights the siloed nature of Whitehall
Reality hits the Burnham agenda
Reading Ulysses
Newcastle Pride - the video
Matt Wardman
Pawel Urbanski
Jana
Nonconformistradical
Peter Martin
12 Comments
GREAT ENGLAND WIN! BOO! on Trump INTERFERING in FIFA rules wanting to overturn the refs red card given to a USA team player. Anger all round at the pathetic FIFA boss agreeing to it.
Another of my rants. ITV media being sold to SKY, OWNED BY USA QUALCAST. A slow creep takeover of UK media by the USA.
It is often remarked that political obsessives, which would include most of us I suppose, are out of touch with the day to day concerns of general public. It follows that an interest in the national game and perhaps the appointment of a LDV sports correspondent is a welcome development in our strategy. As Mark’s comments illustrate, sport provides a lens through which people can reflect on important issues such as immigration and national identity. Personally, I’d like to know whether Declan Rice and Harry Kane, perhaps two of the players less likely to be deported by Reform, have actually applied for the Irish passports that I understand they are entitled to ?
“But setting the politics aside……” ??
On a political website?
Football has had a fairly good track record politically – at least until FIFA started to suck up to Trump! What was that “Peace Prize” all about?
There’s always been a resolve not to let racial issues mar everyone’s enjoyment of the game. My own team, like most others, is multi racial. The largely working class support isn’t ‘woke’ by any means. I attended nearly all the home matches and a few away ones this last season and didn’t hear any kind of racial abuse of players of either side. There was naturally plenty when opposition players might have committed a bad foul but it wasn’t racially inclined. The club (BWFC) has always condemned any such abuse when it has occurred in previous seasons.
On a slightly different point: When England previously played a World Cup match in Mexico City in 1986 the Union Flag was the most prominent to be displayed amongst the supporters. Earlier this morning it was nowhere to be seen. It has been displaced entirely by the St George Cross. I do take this as evidence that the support for the UK Union has waned significantly.
@Peter Martin
“ I do take this as evidence that the support for the UK Union has waned significantly.”
I take a different view. I think it shows that England fans now understand that the terms ‘England’ and ‘United Kingdom’ are not synonymous – something that was not the case in 1966.
England fans would have been crazy to have carried Union Jacks to the World Cup. Scotland were also competing!
David Allen 6th Jul ’26 – 4:41pm….. Scotland were also competing!
Hmmmm?
@expats
🙂
Heh.
I’m not watching the world cup in a personal gesture of solidarity with Canada, and opposition to Trump. So I did not watch it. I’m not a big football fan, however – so for me the loss is small.
I would say though that FIFA is an ideal organisation to work with a USA, which is now in significant measure a classic Central America style banana republic, with the state and Parliamentary system corrupted to run for the benefit of a wealthy cabal, rather than the people of the USA. That “banana republic” evaluation is that of significant specialist historians, such as Heather Cox Richardson, whom I am sure many of us follow.
Something of the USA may be left standing, or Trump’s Mussolini playbook may continue, and we need to be ready for both.
Having said that, the team deserve good results from their hard work, and if the spin off atmosphere here helps the UK be less rewarding of poisonous politics, then so much the better.
I’m not sure about Keir Starmer’s proposed Bank Holiday – that would vanish much of our growth.
From an English Nationalist (a.k.a. Reform) perspective, it’s obviously a mixed blessing. England win – good – but with a team mostly consisting of people whose families would be on the next available plane out if they could gain power at the next election.
I call a foul due to an inaccurate tackle. Here’s what Gemini’s ‘VAR’ has to say…
‘Under Reform UK‘s “Operation Restoring Justice” proposal would the families of foreign employees, such as professional footballers, face deportation?’:
https://gemini.google.com
Jeff 10th Jul ’26 – 9:32pm…..No, the families of legally employed foreign workers—such as professional footballers—would not face deportation under Reform UK’s “Operation Restoring Justice” proposal….
Footballers? So, a handful of the wealthiest can stay.. What about many thousands of care workers, etc. Those that we really need?
“Reform leaders have previously said they plan to deport 600,000 people if they win a general election. But analysis by the business newspaper the Financial Times suggested Farage would seek to expel two million people”.
Reform keep moving the goalposts and the party has claimed more than one million people are living in Britain “illegally” and has also said it would target people living here legally.
>”Scotland were also competing!”
From reports they did much better than England in the having a good time and partying competition… 🙂