PM speaks out over world football body’s refusal of request for England and Scotland to mark Remembrance Day with armbands

This article is more than 3 years old

This article is more than 3 years old

Theresa May has launched a blistering attack on world football’s governing body, Fifa, which turned down a request from England and Scotland players to wear armbands featuring poppies when the sides meet on Remembrance Day.

Speaking at prime minister’s questions, May said the stance taken by Fifa was “utterly outrageous” and the strength of feeling across the House of Commons was clear.

May says Fifa's ban on players wearing poppies is 'utterly outrageous' - Politics live Read more

“Our football players want to recognise and respect those who have given their lives for our safety and security,” she said. “I think it is absolutely right they should be able to do so.”

Her response was prompted by a question from Steve McCabe, Labour’s MP for Birmingham Selly Oak who was born in Inverclyde: “Will she tell the respective associations [England and Scotland] that in this country, we decide when to wear poppies and they’ll be wearing them at Wembley?”

May said the decision should lie with the respective associations but said “a clear message is going from this house”.

Fifa, which has been mired in a long-running corruption scandal, should be more concerned with its own affairs, May said. “I should say to Fifa before they start telling us what to do they jolly well ought to sort their own house out,” she said.

Fifa normally bans any political, religious or commercial messages on shirts. The teams were allowed to wear black armbands embroidered with poppies in November 2011, after Prince William and David Cameron appealed to the football governing body.

Scotland and England will play their 2018 World Cup qualifier on 11 November and MP Damian Collins, who chairs the Commons culture, media and sport select committee, has already written to the Fifa president, Gianni Infantino, asking him to reconsider the decision.

A spokesman for the English FA said: “We are working closely with the Royal British Legion once again this year to honour and remember the sacrifices made by those serving in the armed forces.

“In recent weeks, the FA has led remembrance discussions with Fifa to allow the England team to show its support for the poppy appeal during the World Cup qualifier with Scotland.”