The Stage

MPs back Blackpool super-casino challenge

Published Tuesday 13 February 2007 at 14:40 by Alistair Smith

Blackpool’s attempt to revive its bid to host the UK’s first super-casino has received support from more than 60 MPs across all three main principal parties.

Last month, Manchester was chosen ahead of Blackpool by the Casino Advisory Panel as its preferred location for a regional or so-called super-casino, dealing a heavy blow to the resort and its ailing light entertainment scene, which had stood to benefit hugely from the introduction of a gaming centre in the town.

However, 66 politicians from across the parties have now signed up to a Commons motion expressing their “surprise and regret” at the Casino Advisory Panel’s decision to reject Blackpool as its choice for the UK’s first super-casino.

The Early Day Motion asks that the government “reconvene the expert scrutiny committee of members of both Houses of Parliament that examined the draft Gambling Bill so that it can assess the section of the panel’s report dealing with the regional casino in detail” before any final decisions are taken.

One of the signatories, Tory MP John Whittingdale, a former shadow culture secretary and now chairman of the culture select committee, told The Stage: “Throughout the Gambling Bill, we argued that a regional casino is a new kind of casino offering gambling on a scale never seen in this country before. For this reason, we were particularly concerned about the risk of problem gambling. The recommendation of the Joint Scrutiny Committee based on evidence given was that a regional casino should be located in a destination resort away from residential areas.

“This would mean that those wishing to visit would have to make a conscious decision to do so rather than make a sudden decision as they happened to pass a casino close to their work or home. This was a strong reason for supporting Blackpool. On the other hand, Manchester - and in particular the area recommended which is one of the most deprived areas of the city - carries a higher risk that it will lead to problem gambling among those who can least afford it.” Former actress and Labour MP Glenda Jackson has also signed up to the motion.

Meanwhile a second motion has been put forward by Liberal Democrat culture spokesman Don Foster, which also calls for the scrutiny committee to be reappointed, but falls short of offering its support for the Blackpool bid.

Culture secretary Tessa Jowell is due to report back to the Commons in the next few weeks having received the CAP’s recommendation at the end of January.