Yorkshire cricket: MP says return to club for Colin Graves would be a 'disaster'

Graves originally pulled out of the running to be Yorkshire chair in June 2023

Ex-Yorkshire chair Colin Graves' return to the club would be "a disaster", says a member of the Culture, Media and Sport (CMS) select committee.

Graves has revealed his ownership offer was accepted and his consortium is in exclusive negotiations until 5 January.

The 75-year-old was chairman from 2012 to 2015, part of the period Yorkshire was fined for failing to address the systemic use of racist or discriminatory language.

Clive Efford MP said he felt "astonishment" at the "backward step".

"This is not the way forward for cricket or Yorkshire. I hope the ECB recognises that and takes action," he told the BBC.

If negotiations are successful, Graves is set for a controversial return if club members vote for his deal at an extraordinary general meeting.

In further comments to the Press Association, Efford said the move was "a disaster for cricket if the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) allow it to happen".

Graves has been approached for comment, while both Yorkshire and the ECB declined to comment.

In 2021, Efford and other MPs on the committee heard emotional testimony from former Yorkshire player Azeem Rafiq about the racism he experienced at the county.

Last year, six ex-Yorkshire players found to have used racist language were sanctioned with fines and bans by the Cricket Discipline Commission.

The ECB initially withdrew Yorkshire's right to stage lucrative international matches at Headingley over their handling of the scandal, and only reinstated it after major governance changes were enacted.

"I supported Yorkshire not being stripped of the Ashes Test match on the basis that they had taken major steps and seemed determined to move forward, but clearly I was mistaken," Efford said.

Last year, the ECB criticised Graves for suggesting incidents of racism at the county were "banter".

Graves, who was also chairman of the ECB itself between 2015 and 2020, said no racism allegations were raised to him during his three years in charge at the county. The ECB at the time said it was "disappointed" with his comments.

Yorkshire was also critical of Graves last year after he withdrew an earlier bid to return to the role of chairman.

The county has been seeking fresh investment since losing a significant number of sponsors over their handling of the racism scandal, while they also had to agree compensation packages with sacked staff who won claims for unfair dismissal.

Last year, chief executive Stephen Vaughan said the club had a £3.5m shortfall and a need to repay £14.9m to the family trust owned by Graves, one of its major creditors.

Last week the club's management told staff that they were "seriously considering" the deal with Graves, having previously been linked with a rescue package from retail billionaire and former Newcastle United owner Mike Ashley. It is expected that Graves would be reinstated as chairman.

The BBC also understands that Graves intends to appoint two former ECB executives - Sanjay Patel, former managing director of The Hundred, and Sanjeev Gandhi - to an overhauled Yorkshire board if the takeover is completed.

However, Labour peer Lord John Mann, who tried to find investors for the club, has claimed its management rejected alternatives.

He said: "The board of Yorkshire cricket club refused to talk to the three people I provided who all offered alternative routes through their financial problems. Not turned them down, but wouldn't even talk to them."

There has also been support for the prospect of Graves' return.

Robin Smith, another former Yorkshire chair, told PA: "Colin Graves' consortium's proposal for Yorkshire comes from people of integrity and relevant experience.

"It is well capable of restoring desperately needed confidence amongst Yorkshire members and the wider public and it deserves support. I am confident that it will get it."