PA MediaScottish Secretary Ian Murray has described City of Edinburgh Council as “snobby” after remarks about Oasis fans ahead of the band’s Murrayfield shows.
He said comments made in a safety briefing which characterised fans of the group as “rowdy,” “intoxicated” and “middle-aged men” who “take up more room” were “classist”.
Murray made the claims during a conversation with comedian Matt Forde during an event at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
Edinburgh Council has been contacted for comment.
Murray likened the tone of the comments, which were made during a safety advisory group meeting in October of last year, to the alcohol ban at football matches, which he also labelled “snobby”.
Oasis will play three nights at Murrayfield on Friday evening, followed by Saturday and Tuesday. The gigs are the only three taking place in Scotland as part of the band’s reunion tour.
It will mark the first time they have played in the city since 2009.
The safety meeting involved the council, promoters DF Concerts, security firm G4S, Police Scotland, the Scottish Ambulance Service and transport providers including Lothian Buses, Edinburgh Trams and ScotRail.
A number of concerns were raised – including about fans of Oasis “on weekends as they are already rowdy”, as well as “the tone of the band”.
It also noted the crowd, put at about 70,000, may feature a number of “middle-aged men,” stating they “take up more room” and suggested promoters to consider this when “working out occupancy”.
DF Concerts suggested the audience would be “energetic and high-spirited” with a “medium to high intoxication”.
‘Classist and snobby’
Murray, Labour MP for Edinburgh South, told Forde the description “sounded like a full council meeting”.
He pointed out that football fans are prohibited from drinking in stadiums during matches but the same rules do not apply to rugby fans.
Murray was previously chairman of the Foundation of Hearts group, which bid to save Heart of Midlothian Football Club from administration in 2013.
He told Forde: “I think it’s snobby.
“I mean, Murrayfield is a great example. You can go and see Scotland versus the All Blacks on a Saturday at three o’clock and get as ratted as you want sitting watching the rugby, and people do, they spend most of their time at the bar.
“And I remember my team, Hearts, played Celtic there the following day on the Sunday, when Hampden was out of use for the Commonwealth Games, and there was a complete ban on drinking in the stands for the football fans. That’s just classist and snobbery.”
Asked if he wanted to bring back drinking at football stadiums, the Scottish Secretary joked it was either that “or not have rugby drinking”.
Details of the council meeting were made available by freedom of information request and were initially reported by the Scottish Sun.
The local authority is run by a minority Labour administration, propped up by the Scottish Conservatives and the Scottish Liberal Democrats.
They raised the ire of Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher, who said the council’s “attitude stinks” in a post on X.
In a second post, he added: “I’d love to see a picture of all the people on the Edinburgh council bet there’s some real stunning individuals.”
