Celtic refuse Tyson fight

Iron Mike's Scottish plans have caused anger

Boxer Mike Tyson has been allowed to come to Britain to fight again - but it has become clear that his fight will not be staged at Celtic Park.

As the row over the home secretary's decision to allow the convicted rapist into the UK - for the second time in six months - Celtic football club bosses have said they are no longer interested in staging the fight.

Celtic Chief Executive Allan MacDonald told BBC Scotland: "It's not the type of event we would want to have at Celtic Park at the moment".

Hampden Park in Glasgow, the newly refurbished national stadium, is now expected to be named as the venue for the bout on 24 June with Lou Savarese.

Celtic's Parkhead stadium will not be used

But that is likely to anger Members of the Scottish Parliament, who have crossed party divisions to make their opposition to the fight known.

Women's groups have also reacted angrily to the move and the home secretary has even come under fire from his own party's MPs at Westminster.

Claire Ward, the Watford MP whose written parliamentary question prompted Mr Straw's announcement, said she was saddened by the decision.

"Obviously I am disappointed, but I am not surprised, given that the home secretary permitted Mike Tyson to come into the country for the first time," she said.

'Unique show of unity'

Her sentiments were echoed by Members of the Scottish Parliament who held a cross-party news conference to state their objections to the decision.

The Scottish National Party's Gil Paterson said: "This is a unique show of unity across the parliament.

"It is utterly unacceptable that our national stadium - financed from the public purse - should be made available to make a rich convicted rapist even richer."

Tommy Sheridan:

Scottish Socialist Party MSP, Tommy Sheridan, said he was "opposed to multi-millionaire exceptionalism".

For the Conservatives, Jamie McGrigor, MSP for the Highlands and Islands, said: "I am a boxing fan, but if the law forbids a convicted rapist from entering this country, then there is no reason why Tyson should be singled out for special treatment."

Labour's Hugh Henry, MSP for Paisley South, also objected to the home secretary's decision. "It gives the wrong signal to young men and betrays every women who has suffered from male violence," he said.

'Anti-boxing objectors'

Women's groups were vociferous in the campaign to keep Tyson out of Scotland and they reacted angrily to the decision.

Oona Hay, training and development officers at the Rape Crisis Centre in Glasgow, said: "Our main concern is the message that is being sent to women and how seriously the government really takes violence against women."

Jimmy Wray MP: An ex-boxer

Ms Hay added the group would now lobby Glasgow City Council: "We would urge them to stop this."

Scottish boxing promoter Tommy Gilmour has urged Mr Straw to explain his decision.

He said the country wants to know how Tyson was allowed in when the law states that others are excluded.

Mr Gilmour said: "Somebody has got to say 'this is the reason why'.

"If people know what the ground rules are - and that they are being adhered to - then there would never be any controversy."

He added: "Let people know if there are grey areas."

However, Mr Straw did find support from former boxer Jimmy Wray, the Labour MP for Glasgow Baillieston, who is an avid boxing fan.

He said he was "very pleased" and accused the objectors of being "anti-boxing anyway".

Mr Wray added: "You have got to take into consideration the thousands of fans ... and they were going to be deprived because people are saying a man who has been punished for a crime should be punished the whole of his life."