Gooooooaaal! Sir Keir Starmer and Rishi Madlani on Tuesday evening

FOOTBALL-LOVING Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer celebrated England’s World Cup triumph over Wales with LGBT+ supporters groups.

He had his eyes peeled to the big screen at the New Bloomsbury Set in Marchmont Street on Tuesday evening as the goals rained in for Gareth Southgate’s team and the Three Lions qualified for the knockout phases.

Before the match he spoke to members of Three Lions Pride and Rainbow Wall about how he hoped the tournament would lead to scrutiny of the host nation Qatar’s outlawing of homosexuality.

The event had been organised by Bloomsbury councillor Rishi Madlani, who is part of Pride In Football and who wrote an article for the Extra at the start of the tournament about how conflicted people felt about the competition.

“The fact that gay football fans have been forced to choose between the person they love and the sport they love is simply unacceptable and just one reason why the tournament should never have been awarded to Qatar,” said Sir Keir, the MP for Holborn and St Pancras. “Fans should never have been put in this position by FIFA. The awarding of these high-profile sporting events, the kudos they generate, must always be in line with our values.

“That’s why I’ve said that given the death toll from the construction of the stadiums to the wider human rights abuses in the country, neither I nor my shadow cabinet will be going to Qatar for the tournament.

“And, yes, that includes even if England get to the final.”

Sir Keir, a big Arsenal fan, added: “I hope the scrutiny on this World Cup drives genuine change for good in football and wider society.”

The screening of the game raised money for the Alwan Foundation which has campaigned on LGBT+ rights in the Gulf states.

And while most people might enjoy the action on the field, many feel excluded from enjoying the tournament in Qatar – and that it cannot be the World Cup as it should be.