Poor Man About Town

I thought New Labour had done away with sleaze, maybe it has and has come up with something a little more cheesy. If the article in today's Observer is anything to go by , it seems that New Labour had been deeply involving themselves with US casino interests that wanted to build their establishments in the UK. Some concern was expressed about money laundering and that any exchange of £700 for chips would have to be supported with ID. US casino concerns were not prepared to accept this but said that they would find their own way!. Oh really, who rules Britain? Yank Casino concerns or the British Electorate.

To cut a long story short, the bill floundered due to concern expressed by police, New Labour party mp's, pressure groups etc.

It was interesting to note the following:

"In the Commons last November, Jowell dismissed Tory claims that her department had been in any discussions with casino groups about money laundering laws.

Two days later, during Prime Minister's Questions, Michael Howard pressed Tony Blair over the issue. The Prime Minister said claims that casinos had been offered special concessions were 'ridiculous'.

The Observer has obtained a briefing note sent in May 2004 from culture department official Richard Beston to culture minister Lord McIntosh, who was in charge of the bill. This reveals that discussions about easing the rules on money laundering did take place between ministers and casino bosses and that Jowell's department tried to get the Treasury to give casino groups special exemptions.

The note, released under the Freedom of Information Act, was sent ahead of a meeting with MGM's European boss, Lloyd Nathan, at the House of Lords.

It states: 'We [the DCMS] have asked the Treasury to consider revising the third money laundering draft directive to exempt casino members from showing ID when they enter the actual gaming floor ... If these discussions fail, I [McIntosh] will consider with industry how best to resolve this issue.'

Theresa May, Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, said she would be writing to Jowell immediately asking for an explanation: 'While civil servants where actively working to get money laundering rules that would benefit American casino operators lifted, Tessa Jowell and the Prime Minister were telling MPs that nothing of the sort was taking place. Huge question marks over the relationship between foreign casino operators and this government remain, and this fresh disclosure does nothing to allay those concerns.

'This legislation was forced through ahead of the general election, despite strong opposition. I will demand a complete and frank disclosure of all information relating to this matter.'

A spokesman for Jowell said: 'The original claim was that special dispensation to the casino industry had been offered in an email... and that was untrue. We never denied discussing a wide range of issues with a wide range of stakeholders about gambling rules which included the third money laundering directive.'

The documents also reveal that ministers and officials from the Culture Department were so nervous at the response to their plans to deregulate the gambling industry that they told large US casino groups to keep quiet about their expansion plans for fear of alarming the public.

The documents also shine a light on the high-powered lobbying campaign orchestrated by the international casino industry. They show how ministers and officials travelled across the globe at taxpayers' expense to meet casino bosses. One three-day trip only two weeks before the Gambling Bill was publish involved four officials travelling to Las Vegas and staying at the luxury Venetian Hotel."

Can we really trust New Labour?