Sir Keir Starmer and Rishi Madlani watch England crush Welsh dreams with three second half goals

FOOTBALL-LOVING Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer celebrated England’s World Cup triumph over Wales with LGBT+ supporters groups.

He had his eyes peeled to the big screen at the New Bloomsbury Set in Marchmomt Street as the goals rained in for Gareth Southgate’s team and the Three Lions qualified for the knockout phases.

Before the match, he spoke to members of Three Lions Pride and Rainbow Wall about how he hoped the tournament would lead to scrutiny of host nation Qatar’s criminalisation of homosexuality.

The event had been organised by Bloomsbury councillor Rishi Madlani, who is part of Pride In Football and who wrote an article for the New Journal at the start of the tournament about how conflicted people felt about the competition.

“The fact that gay football fans have been forced to choose between the person they love and the sport they love is simply unacceptable and just one reason why the tournament should never have been awarded to Qatar,” said Mr Starmer – the MP for Holborn and St Pancras.

“Fans should never have been put in this position by FIFA. The awarding of these high profile sporting events, the kudos they generate, must always be in line with our values. That’s why I’ve said given the death toll from the construction of the stadiums to the wider human rights abuses in the country, neither I, nor my Shadow Cabinet, will be going to Qatar for the tournament. And yes, that includes even if England get to the final.”

He added: ““I hope the scrutiny on this World Cup drives genuine change for good in football and wider society. And rather than stand up for British values, we’ve had the foreign secretary say that fans should respect those discriminatory laws. What a disgrace.

“The good news is that progress has been made, especially here in the UK. The fact that there are now over 50 LGBT+ fan groups across the country should be commended.”

The screening of the game raised money tonight for the Alwan Foundation which has campaigned on LGBT+ rights in the Gulf nations.

“We owe them a huge debt for their brave work and I thank all of you for supporting them tonight,” said Mr Starmer, a big Arsenal fan.

“My Labour government doesn’t just want to see equality in the UK but around the world, which is why I’ve committed to creating a global LGBT+ rights envoy. I know there is more to do and LGBT+ people in countries like Qatar are on the toughest front line of that fight.”

Our ‘Not the World Cup’ series is a collection of articles by the New Journal and Islington Tribune recognising that while we might all enjoy the football on the field, many feel excluded from enjoying the tournament in Qatar – and that it cannot be the World Cup as it should be, while the rights of the LGBT+ community, women and workers are under threat.

SEE ALSO NOT THE WORLD CUP: TO BOYCOTT OR NOT TO BOYCOTT? HERE’S WHAT YOUC AN DO