Plans by Manchester United co-owner, Sir Jim Ratcliffe, for a new stadium at Old Trafford have received mixed reactions.
Many fans are excited at the club getting a stadium that would be one of the best in the world, while others are unhappy at the potential cost when the club are cutting back costs elsewhere.
Since Sir Jim started investing a fresh start rather than redeveloping the existing Old Trafford stadium, it’s been a topic of hot debate.
The proposed 100,000 seater has already received backlash from Manchester United fan group The 1958 since the new stadium plans were unveiled.
The criticism delivered by the die-hard United fan group centred around the big top-like appearance of the newly proposed stadium, and how it failed to reflect the values and culture of Manchester’s working population.
Despite this, United have publicly stated that the project would have the potential to deliver £7.3 billion per year to the UK economy, and potentially create up to 92,000 new jobs.
The 5-year project is estimated to cost £2 billion, and so financing the build becomes the next bridge to cross.
One of the ideas is to the UK Government to get on board with the project with some financial backing.
But it seems one political voice is not happy with the current proposal.
Writing on the Confidentials Manchester website, Graham Stringer MP, Labour MP and former leader of Manchester City Council, has blasted Sir Jim Ratcliffe around his plans.
“No Manchester United fan or Labour politician should support these plans,” writes Stringer.
“I am both, and believe the proposals are an ill-thought-out concept and wrong in principle.
“Am I the only person to think there is a distinctly fishy smell when the part owner of United predicts imminent bankruptcy while simultaneously launching an ill-defined scheme costing £2 billion.
“It would be politically obscene when the government is considering cuts to benefits and services to some of the poorest people in the country to present a cheque of hundreds of millions of pounds to a tax exile’s half-baked misbegotten scheme.
“Sir Jim Ratcliffe could replace the subsidy from public funds he is seeking from the money he doesn’t pay in British taxes.
“I doubt he would notice it”.
It’s quite clear that Graham Stringer is not a fan of the plans nor Sir Jim Ratcliffe.
Whether the current Blackley and Middleton South MP is on board with the project or not, it seems that, for now, the new Old Trafford plans are set to move ahead.
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