Government under pressure to review Manchester super casino decision

Pressure is growing on the Government to give Blackpool the UK’s only supercasino, ignoring the official recommendation of Manchester.

A Commons motion backing the case for Blackpool has now been signed by more than 100 MPs, 65 of them Labour.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport insists the Government remains “strongly minded” to approve the Casino Advisory Panel’s recommendation.

But it was reported today that ministers may consider a review of the Manchester decision to head off the revolt.

Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell is due to put the casino panel's Manchester recommendation before Parliament next month so that MPs and peers can vote on it. 

Supporters of Manchester believe the Government will not want to look weak by rejecting the findings of its independent expert panel - which carefully scrutinised each bid over the course of a year - because of backbench pressure. 

Tony Lloyd, MP for Manchester Central, told the Manchester Evening News: "A lot of Labour MPs have genuine sympathy for Blackpool but will recognise that this is government business." 

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By Daniel Thomas

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