Splitting casino policy 'could lead to judicial review'

2007-06-01 17:00:52

The row between Manchester and Blackpool over the siting of the UK's first supercasino and the defeat of the government's gambling bill in the House of Lords has drowned the voices of towns hoping to host 16 smaller casinos.

After the peers rejected the all-or-nothing bill, there have been rumours that the government could allow the smaller casinos to proceed, while the supercasino issue could be dealt with separately.

However, the government's deputy chief whip Lord Davies told the upper chamber that splitting the proposals in two could result in a legal challenge.

Lord Davies said: "The government is in a difficult position because we could be subject to judicial review if we acted on part of the inspector's report and not on all of it.

"The single most obvious fact was that a considerable number of noble Lords thought the casino should be in Blackpool rather than Manchester. That is why the order was lost."

Last month, outgoing prime minister Tony Blair told the House of Commons that it may be possible for both Manchester and Blackpool to have a supercasino.




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