Premier League hits back at Labour in dispute over 'broken promises'

Labour accused the Premier League of failing to invest five per cent of its income on grassroots football, which the organisation has completely denied

The Premier League has dismissed Labour's claims (Getty)

The Premier League has hit back at claims made in Jeremy Corbyn's Labour manifesto that the footballing organisation is failing on its promise to invest five per cent of its television rights income into the grassroots game.

In a statement released by the body, the Premier League said that it has "always met its commitments" and insisted there was "no evidence" to suggest otherwise.

It added that its investment into grassroots football each season surpasses the five per cent figure.

In Labour’s leaked manifesto, the party criticises the Premier League for its broken promises with regards to grassroots investment.

"Labour will ensure the Premier League delivers on its promise to invest five per cent of its television rights income into the grassroots game to help the next generation of players and coaches, and to improve facilities and pitches,” it said.

"The Premier League has so far failed to do so, despite lucrative new domestic and international TV deals."

The Premier League completely dismissed Labour's claims, however, insisting it has gone above and beyond its commitments as an organisation.

"The Premier League has always met its commitments and there is no evidence to suggest otherwise," a statement read.

The Premier League said it invests more than five per cent into grassroots football (Getty)

"The scale of Premier League support and investment in the wider game, and in communities and schools is unprecedented in professional sport.

"The financial value of this investment has been, and continues to be, greater than five per cent of the League's turnover each season."

It added: "With our clubs we provide a range of support for the development of football outside the Premier League, including solidarity payments, youth development grants, and community funding for all EFL (Football League) and National League clubs."

Scrutiny into grassroots investment has intensified in recent recent years as the wealth of the Premier League and its clubs has rocketed.

Three years ago the Local Government Association (LGA) called for the Premier League to pump more money back into local football programmes and facilities after the league broke the £3bn revenue barrier.

Clubs once again came under pressure to invest more of their money following the first £1bn transfer window in the summer of 2016.

At the time, the chief executive of the Football Supporters Federation, Kevin Miles, said that the unprecedented spike in wealth was likely to draw “discomfort” from fans.

“Many fans will look with certain discomfort about some of the sums being talked about following the transfer window and drawing conclusions about how some of that money could be better invested and spread across the game as a whole,” he said.

“We would certainly favour ­significantly higher percentages of that money being reinvested in grass-roots football, the development of the game, the interests of match-going fans, and rather less in the pockets of players and agents.”

The dispute between Labour and the Premier League follows news that Manchester United are predicted to make record revenues of up to £570m this year.