MP: 'Disappointed with government Cumberland & Westmorland wrestling ruling'

South Lakes MP Tim Farron has this afternoon expressed his disappointment that the government has not agreed to remove unnecessary burdens on Cumberland & Westmorland wrestling. The government though have agreed to relax the rules on other types of wrestling.

In October 2013, the Department Culture, Media & Sport published a consultation about changes to entertainment licensing that were to be implemented via a Legislative Reform Order (LRO). The consultation set out in detail how the Government intended to use an LRO to remove unnecessary regulation from certain smaller scale and neighbourhood events, thereby freeing up organisers to put on eligible entertainment without having to fill in licensing paperwork and go through a costly process.

In the Consultation outcome, released this week, the government said: "The Government agrees that an LRO is suitable and workable for the deregulation of Greco-Roman and freestyle Wrestling. Post-consultation, the measure has been amended to include an audience size limit of 1,000 people. The Government considers that Cornish or Cumbrian wrestling entertainments cannot with the same certainty be considered to be lower risk entertainment with respect to the licensing objectives."

Tim said: "I am disappointed to hear that Cumberland & Westmorland wrestling isn't to be treated the same as Greco-Roman and other types of wrestling. They all come with some risks attached but I disagree with the government's decision in this regard. I will be raising this with ministers at the next opportunity.

"Wrestling is at the heart of community fairs from Grasmere Sports to the Westmorland County Show. I think anything we can do to help people put on a safe event but avoid reams and reams of paperwork is something I support. I hope we can get government ministers to think again."