Sam Coates, political editor at Sky News, has revealed that Prime Minister Andy Burnham's proposal to lift the ban on alcohol sales in football stadiums may not be implemented after all. The main reason is the likelihood that security costs for football matches would increase significantly.

Read more: UK PM: Alcohol ban at football stadiums is discrimination, the law is outdated

Last week, Burnham traveled to New York to attend UN-related events and was asked by journalists about lifting the alcohol ban at football stadiums. He stated that he has long believed the current regulations are unfair to fans, as some spectators of other sports are not subject to the same restrictions. At that time, Burnham also suggested that changes could be considered through a pilot program.

However, Coates reported that Burnham has been advised by UK government agencies that if the ban is lifted, police may argue that additional security costs required for football events where fans are permitted to drink during matches should no longer be fully funded by general taxation.

This means the associated security costs could increasingly fall on football clubs themselves. Coates believes clubs would struggle to bear these additional expenses.

Coates stated: "It is because of these cost implications that this will never happen."

The UK Football Policing Unit has previously expressed public concerns about amending current regulations, arguing that football events still experience levels of violence and criminal behavior rarely seen in other sports, and alcohol sometimes plays a role in these incidents. Therefore, changing regulations without adequate consultation would be inappropriate.

Coates also believes this situation reflects the current decision-making pattern of the Burnham government: the Prime Minister proposes policy direction based on his own judgment first, then government agencies offer differing views, which sometimes leads to policy modifications or reversals.

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