Keir Starmer wants Fifa investigation into Argentina players who held Falklands banner

Argentina players hold a banner which says: ‘Las Malvinas son Argentinas’ – the Falkland Islands are Argentinian – are defeating England Photograph: MB Media/Getty Images View image in fullscreen Argentina players hold a banner which says: ‘Las Malvinas son Argentinas’ – the Falkland Islands are Argentinian – are defeating England Photograph: MB Media/Getty Images Keir Starmer wants Fifa investigation into Argentina players who held Falklands banner Spokesperson says islands ‘definitely’ belong to the UK ‘PM wishes both teams well for the final, especially Spain’ Keir Starmer supports the idea of Fifa investigating Argentina players who displayed a banner touting their country’s claim to the Falklands Islands after their World Cup semi-final win against England, Downing Street has said. Starmer, who watched the match while travelling to Ukraine by train for the final overseas trip of his prime ministership, endorsed a call by Peter Kyle, the business secretary, for Fifa to “thoroughly” investigate what rules may have been broken. Lionel Messi’s inevitable gravity bends another occasion in Argentina’s favour | Barney Ronay Read more After Argentina’s 2-1 win in an occasionally fractious match in Atlanta, some players held up a banner with said: “Las Malvinas son Argentinas,” using the country’s term for the South Atlantic islands. Argentina face Spain in Sunday’s final. Asked who Starmer would be supporting, his spokesperson told reporters: “The PM wishes both teams well for the final, especially Spain.” Asked for Starmer’s reaction to the sign, she said: “I would just say, the World Cup might not be ours, but the Falkland Islands definitely are. Our position is unchanged. Self-determination rests with the islanders, and our commitment to the Falklands will never waver. “More broadly, potential action is a matter for Fifa, but it’s been a fantastic World Cup, and we’ve said throughout that politics should stay out of football.” Speaking earlier on Thursday, Kyle told the BBC that the banner was “an egregious violation of the rules of not having political activity as part of the football”. View image in fullscreen Argentina's Giovani Lo Celso with the banner. Photograph: Jewel Samad/AFP/Getty Images He added: “In fact, the World Cup has one of its central tenets that politics is separate from football. That is now a matter for Fifa. I expect Fifa to do its investigation thoroughly.” Asked if Starmer endorsed Kyle’s comments urging Fifa to investigate, the PM’s spokesperson said he did. Asked if Thomas Tuchel should consider his position after England were comprehensively outplayed for long sections of the match, the spokesperson said this was a matter for the England head coach. skip past newsletter promotion after newsletter promotion She said: “Thomas Tuchel and his team have taken us deep into the tournament this World Cup, giving us thrilling matches against teams like Mexico and Norway that people in England will never forget, and he thinks th