Hypocrisy as 83 Labour MPs reject Manchester Super Casino in Favour of Blackpool

1.07.48pm UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 21st Mar 2007

Hypocrisy as 83 Labour MPs Reject Manchester's Super Casino Bid

Manchester Liberal Democrat Leader Cllr Simon Ashley has slammed Labour's Town Hall bosses for their hypocrisy and cheap political points over plans for a Super Casino in East Manchester.

Recently in the press, Labour have criticised Liberal Democrats on the casino, all the while knowing that 83 Labour MPs had signed House of Commons Early Day Motion 823, calling for Blackpool to be given the Super Casino.

Councillor Simon Ashley said:

"I am annoyed that, while I have been spending my time talking to my party nationally in private, Labour Councillors have been trying to score cheap points. I accept that two Lib Dem MPs have publicly supported Blackpool getting the Casino, but compare that with 83 MPs from the Labour benches! Labour should put its own house in order before criticising us."

Cllr Ashley continued:

"To say Manchester does not have deprivation and does not need this regeneration is just plain wrong. Everyone wants to see investment in East Manchester, and Manchester won this competition fair and square. MPs should not change the rules after the event because they didn't like the result."

Ends......

Early Day Motion 823 says....

Humble, Joan

That this House notes the report from the Casino Advisory Panel; expresses its surprise and regret that the Panel failed to recommend a licence for Blackpool, whose case for regeneration is overwhelming and which matched the key criteria set for the Panel and whose case to develop a destination regional casino received widespread support across the North West Region, the country and in both Houses of Parliament; calls on the Government to 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; and requests that committee to make its recommendations to Parliament before any final votes take place in Parliament.