Encouraging news as it’s came to our attention that the Lib Dems intend to debate safe standing at their conference (follow this link to their conference paper, page 23). This means that it could become part of an election campaign. Well how can I have any influence on this you may ask? Easy.

By clicking here you can find the local Lib Dem contact in your area. While we wouldn’t discourage you from writing to your local MP on the issue, should they be Lib Dem or not, it’s worth using the above contact to get in touch with the local party rep as well. This is because it’s these individual members, and not just MPs, who will vote on the issue at their conference. If they know there are votes in it, and the issue is already in their mind, we’ll win them round. This isn’t just us being presumptuous either, we’ve had tip-offs galore from Lib Dem members that it will work if enough people respond.

There’s also an Early Day Motion going through the Houses of Parliament on the matter that almost 100 MPs have signed. Wouldn’t hurt to contact yours and ask if they haven’t signed it, why not? See here for a list of MPs.

On the back of Gerry Sutcliffe’s disappointing comments around safe standing we at the FSF could point out any number of factors that he hadn’t been taken into account.

None more so than the respected Independent Football Commission’s 2007 report which backed a return to safe standing, as well as recent poll we carried out which suggested eight out of every ten fans wanted it. The IFC report even went so far as to suggest that safe standing would improve health and safety figures at matches, something we haven’t seen the anti-standing brigade respond to.

Now we already know our readers are an intelligent and discerning bunch, so we’ll let you knock up your own letter to them, should you wish. However, if your busy life doesn’t permit this, feel free to email info@fsf.org.uk and we'll send over a template.