Going to Hull in a handbasket


Eric Kelly and Phil Culshaw

Assem Allam, multi-millionaire owner of Hull City AFC, has issued eviction notices to community sporting organisations which use City’s facilities. In the same week, he promised Labour £1 million to undermine unions.

Allam, Labour’s biggest business donor, made the offer after dinner with Tony Blair. He told the Sunday Times: “As I have always said to our friends in the Labour Party, Tony Blair and Ed Miliband, I would increase my political donations to gradually reduce the Labour Party’s financial reliance on the trade unions.”

In a radio interview last year, Allam said: “No one on earth is allowed to question how I do my business. No one on earth. Let’s kill this point.” This referred to his attempt to change Hull City’s name to Hull Tigers.

Fans suffered 30% increases in season ticket costs and threats of financial withdrawal during Allam’s campaign. But supporters’ group City Till We Die organised concerted protests against the change, at matches and to the Football Association (FA).

Allam’s response to the huge anger of working class fans at this attack on their community identity? He told one journalist they can “die when they want”! After enormous pressure from supporters, the FA said no to the name change.

Community out

Allam leases Hull’s KC Stadium, together with the Airco Arena community sports ground, from Hull City Council. He wants community sports clubs out so he can turn the arena into an indoor football pitch for the almost exclusive use of Hull City. They have been given four weeks’ notice.

Campaign group Airco for All has been set up to fight this attack, like City Till We Die did before them.

Labour seems happy to side with a super-rich bully who doesn’t understand the word no. After all, he’s the man with the money. The Socialist sides with the ordinary people of Hull.

■ Protest against the evictions! Sunday 22 March at 2pm, Airco Arena, Hull.

Messages of support to the Airco for All Facebook page, Twitter #AircoForAll.