MP raises questions over role of key Labour official on Casement Park rebuild

Ministers have been pressed to guarantee a key Labour official has not sought to influence decisions on Casement Park.

DUP MP Sammy Wilson (East Antrim) raised concerns over the role of Sue Gray, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's chief of staff, amid reports about her alleged involvement in talks over the project.

The derelict west Belfast ground has been earmarked to host five matches at the Euro 2028 football tournament, which is being held in the UK and Ireland.

Speaking in the Commons, Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn said: "The Government is committed to ensuring that Euro 2028 benefits the whole of the United Kingdom. We're working as quickly as possible with all partners to assess the options on the Casement Park project."

But Mr Wilson said: "Many people were surprised when the Secretary of State made it his priority to deliver on Casement Park.

"Committing £320 million for a stadium to host five matches at a time when there are huge waiting lists to be dealt with in the health service, special needs education needs funding and social housing needs funding is an indefensible use of public money.

"Can the Secretary of State give us an assurance that the Government's view has not been influenced by any personal interventions by the chief of staff of the Labour Party, this is a personal project, and can he confirm that such an intervention would be a breach of public standards in public life?"

Mr Benn replied: "What I said was it's a priority because a decision needs to be made.

"The fact is the Government has inherited a commitment to hosting the Euros at Casement Park, it is now a year and three-quarters since Uefa awarded that right to Northern Ireland and to the United Kingdom and Ireland, nothing has happened during the year and three-quarters since then to progress the project.

"We're left with a situation where the cost has gone through the roof and we don't know even if you had the money whether you could build it in time and that is why the Government is looking at it, and that's why I said it was a priority to make a decision."

SDLP MP Claire Hanna (Belfast South and Mid Down) sought assurances that Casement Park will be rebuilt.

She said: "GAA (Gaelic Athletic Association) fans in Northern Ireland, like Northern Ireland football fans awaiting some regional stadium funding, have been let down by a decade of Stormont dither, by sniping like we've just seen and by the last government - had they green-lit the project when they said they would, construction would have been well under way in time for the Euros."

Mr Benn noted there has been a decade-long commitment from the Northern Ireland Executive without progress being made, adding: "Windsor Park got an upgrade, Ravenhill got an upgrade and it's important that Casement Park is built, which is why I said on my recent visit that one way or another that project needs to be completed."

The Irish Government has so far allocated 50 million euro (£42 million) towards the project and has indicated that it is willing to contribute more.

TUV leader Jim Allister, the new MP for North Antrim, asked Mr Benn to explain to Northern Ireland's citizens waiting for healthcare why it "seems to be a priority" for the UK Government to "pour hundreds of millions of pounds into a GAA sports stadium instead of fixing our health service".

He added: "If the Government commits money and if the Euros do not come to Belfast, won't the Government be in the position where the rugby stadium, the football stadium didn't get a penny of Treasury or NIO (Northern Ireland Office) money but GAA did?

"How can that be fair and how can that be proportionate?"

Mr Benn replied: "I hope very much that sport will be a force for unity in Northern Ireland rather than a source of division."

He said Mr Allister had made a "very powerful" point on the health service and noted Northern Ireland has the longest waiting lists in the UK.

Mr Benn went on to say he believes this is a result of "decisions the Executive has failed to take over many years", adding: "The people of Northern Ireland want to have a better health service and that needs the plan which the new health minister is committed to."