SCOTTISH sports minister Sam Galbraith yesterday scotched the proposition by his English counter-part of a British football team, saying this would happen "over my dead body".
English Minister for Sport Tony Banks sparked fresh controversy north of the border by renewing his suggestion in a Scottish newspaper that the move should be considered.
In the wake of the Lions rugby union team's unexpected victory against South Africa, Chelsea supporter Banks told Scotland on Sunday: "Football seems to be the one sport we are not looking at on a Great Britain basis.
"Why is it not a problem in rugby union or athletics or other major sports?" he asked. "God knows I got into enough trouble last time I mentioned it, but it still strikes me as a good idea."
But Galbraith reacted strongly, saying: "My view has not changed since the last time this was mentioned and that is, `Over my dead body'."
His hostility to the scheme was supported by Roseanna Cunningham MP, the Scottish National Party's sport spokesperson, who accused Banks of trying to rob Scots of their national team.
