The Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Oliver Dowden has been slammed for failing to intervene in the proposed takeover of Newcastle United by a Saudi-led consortium.
Amanda Staveley is leading the £300m bid with the Saudi Public Investment Fund set to hold an 80 per cent stake in the club.
Numerous groups, including Amnesty International and beIN Sport have written to the Premier League to ask they seriously consider the consequences of letting any deal go through.
While Amnesty have called the kingdom’s human rights record into question, the broadcaster are concerned over the suspected state-backed piracy of their TV rights for England’s top flight – pointing to a three-year campaign in which their feed has been allegedly duplicated under the brand beoutQ in Saudi Arabia.