Ex-Yorkshire chair Colin Graves’ return to the membership can be “a catastrophe”, says a member of the Tradition, Media and Sport (CMS) choose committee.
Graves has revealed his possession supply was accepted and his consortium is in unique negotiations till 5 January.
The 75-year-old was chairman from 2012 to 2015, a part of the interval Yorkshire was fined for failing to handle the systemic use of racist or discriminatory language.
Clive Efford MP stated he felt “astonishment” on the “backward step”.
“This isn’t the best way ahead for cricket or Yorkshire. I hope the ECB recognises that and takes motion,” he instructed the BBC.
If negotiations are profitable, Graves is ready for a controversial return if membership members vote for his deal at a rare basic assembly.
In additional feedback to the Press Affiliation, Efford stated the transfer was “a catastrophe for cricket if the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) permit it to occur”.
Graves has been approached for remark, whereas each Yorkshire and the ECB declined to remark.
In 2021, Efford and different MPs on the committee heard emotional testimony from former Yorkshire participant Azeem Rafiq in regards to the racism he skilled on the county.
Final 12 months, 5 ex-Yorkshire gamers discovered to have used racist language had been sanctioned with fines and bans by the Cricket Self-discipline Fee.
The ECB initially withdrew Yorkshire’s proper to stage profitable worldwide matches at Headingley over their dealing with of the scandal, and solely reinstated it after main governance modifications had been enacted.
“I supported Yorkshire not being stripped of the Ashes Check match on the premise that that they had taken main steps and appeared decided to maneuver ahead, however clearly I used to be mistaken,” Efford stated.
Final 12 months, the ECB criticised Graves for suggesting incidents of racism on the county had been “banter”.
Graves, who was additionally chairman of the ECB itself between 2015 and 2020, stated no racism allegations had been raised to him throughout his three years in cost on the county. The ECB on the time stated it was “upset” together with his feedback.
Yorkshire was additionally crucial of Graves final 12 months after he withdrew an earlier bid to return to the position of chairman.
The county has been looking for contemporary funding since dropping a major variety of sponsors over their dealing with of the racism scandal, whereas additionally they needed to agree compensation packages with sacked employees who gained claims for unfair dismissal.
Final 12 months, chief govt Stephen Vaughan stated the membership had a £3.5m shortfall and a have to repay £14.9m to the household belief owned by Graves, certainly one of its main collectors.
Final week the membership’s administration instructed employees that they had been “critically contemplating” the cope with Graves, having beforehand been linked with a rescue bundle from retail billionaire and former Newcastle United proprietor Mike Ashley. It’s anticipated that Graves can be reinstated as chairman.
The BBC additionally understands that Graves intends to nominate two former ECB executives – Sanjay Patel, former managing director of The Hundred, and Sanjeev Gandhi – to an overhauled Yorkshire board if the takeover is accomplished.
Nonetheless, Labour peer Lord John Mann, a former Yorkshire MP who tried to search out traders for the membership, has claimed its administration rejected options.
He stated: “The board of Yorkshire cricket membership refused to speak to the three folks I supplied who all provided different routes by their monetary issues. Not turned them down, however would not even speak to them.”
There has additionally been help for the prospect of Graves’ return.
Robin Smith, one other former Yorkshire chair, instructed PA: “Colin Graves’ consortium’s proposal for Yorkshire comes from folks of integrity and related expertise.
“It’s effectively able to restoring desperately wanted confidence amongst Yorkshire members and the broader public and it deserves help. I’m assured that it’s going to get it.”