Politicians from across the spectrum have thrown their support behind the National League’s 3UP campaign.
Among those putting their names to the initiative, to get more clubs promoted to the English Football League, are re Labour’s Margaret Mullane and Jonathan Brash, and Liberal Democrat Liz Jarvis.
Launched in February 2025, the campaign is attempting to increase the number of National League promotion spots from two to three.
One member of parliament supporting the campaign is the Labour MP for Dagenham & Rainham, Ms Mullane.
She said: “The current system creates an unfair bottleneck for National League clubs seeking promotion and is not in keeping with a spirit of fairness and sporting meritocracy that we would wish to see across all tiers of the English football pyramid.”
These views are shared by fellow members of her party, such as Mr Brash who represents Hartlepool.
He said: “Right now the system is frozen in unfairness.
“A fairer pathway into the EFL would put clubs like ours on a level playing field when it comes to competing for promotion.”
It’s not just Labour MPs backing the campaign, Ms Jarvis is a Liberal Democrat.
She said: “At present there is a bottleneck for all clubs to progress into the EFL.
“3UP would ensure more money flows from the top of the game to the lower leagues benefitting clubs and communities, like mine in Eastleigh.”
Support has also come from the House of Lords through Labour peer Richard Faulkner, Baron Faulkner of Worcester.
“Since we launched the campaign at the beginning of last year, the amount of support has been overwhelming,” said Lord Faulkner.
“The football pyramid in this country is the envy of the world, but the lack of 3UP is harming the ambition of club owners and their communities.”
There has been some doubts as to whether or not clubs in League Two would vote in favour of 3UP.
However, former Premier League footballer, Glenn Pennyfather, does not see this as being an issue.
He said: “I know people are putting the sort of feeling around the clubs in the bottom half of League Two won’t vote for it because they might find themselves in a position if they get relegated as an extra place.
“But they’ve got to remember, if they do go down as one of those bottom two teams, if that still stays the same, they’ve got one place less the other side to come back in it again.”
For this season at least, 3UP will not be a thing meaning there is an enthralling two-way shootout for the only automatic promotion spot between Rochdale and York City, who have picked up 91 and 89 points already respectively.
