Questions have been raised over the approach of allowing football fans back into stadiums after the news that Newcastle United supporters will have to wait to get back into St James' Park.
The first review on the tier system saw the North East in Tier 3 of coronavirus restrictions - the highest category - alongside large parts of the country.
London clubs had been allowed to host fans in their stadium alongside clubs in the Liverpool City region - but with the capital now in tier 3, clubs have been blocked from allowing spectators in.
There have been no spectators at St James' Park since February 29th when Newcastle United drew 0-0 with Burnley.
When asked if he'd like to see a plan for fans to return even with the North East in Tier 3, Ian Mearns - MP for Gatehested and a United season-ticket holder - said: "What I would like is some consistency of approach by the government.
"Now if you can have 1000 people in an enclosed space like a theatre or a cinema, why can't you have several times more that amount in an open-air stadium for a live football match?
"The consistency of the approach just doesn't seem to be there at all.
"If music and theatre are so important - and of course it is - then why isn't football treated in a similar vein?
"It's just like football fans just by their very label are being treated somehow differently to everyone else.
"In tier 2 with 2,000 fans - does it make that much difference?
"If we were in tier 2, Gateshead would be allowed 2,000 fans in their stadium which holds 11,750 while Newcastle would also be allowed 2,000 in a stadium which holds 52,000 - that is bonkers frankly. "
