MPs write to Leeds owner urging him to reconsider club's post-season Myanmar trip
A group of five Leeds MPs have written to Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani, urging him to reconsider the club's post-season trip to Myanmar.
Radrizzani on Wednesday defended the tour, saying it would have a "positive impact", after it had been branded "morally corrupt" by critics.
Rachel Reeves, MP for Leeds West, posted the five MPs' letter on Twitter on Friday alongside the words: "If Leeds United play in Myanmar, they will effectively be endorsing the actions of a Government that has forced almost 700,000 people to flee its brutal regime of terror and violence.
"@LUFC has a moral responsibility and should cancel plans to tour Myanmar."
In the letter, the MPs - Reeves, Hilary Benn (Leeds Central), Richard Burgon (Leeds East), Fabian Hamilton (Leeds North East) and Alex Sobel (Leeds North West) - expressed "serious concerns" about next month's proposed trip.
They said it would be "deeply inappropriate for Leeds United to play in Myanmar", and added: "We hope you will think about the representations we are making and reconsider the decision for Leeds United to play in Myanmar."
The Sky Bet Championship club plan to play an All-Star XI in Yangon on May 9 and Myanmar's national team in Mandalay on May 11.
Myanmar's governing regime has been accused of ethnic cleansing of Rohingya Muslims, including rape and slaughter.
Radrizzani, who has business interests in south-east Asia, believes the tour could "further highlight the ongoing serious issues", and "maybe that is a positive thing".
The Italian, writing in an open letter to fans earlier this week, said he had visited the country many times and it was "somewhere very close to my heart".
