Christian Peoples Alliance demands publication of London Mega-Casino report

It is still unknown whether London will be the location of a new major 'regional' casino, the Christian Peoples Alliance (CPA) has reported, saying that Labour-run Newham Council was using stalling tactics.

|PIC1|Newham has established a Commission to look into the idea of putting London's biggest casino in the Docklands. However, the Commission's completed Report, originally promised for July, is "sitting on the desk of Labour Mayor Sir Robin Wales", the CPA has told Christian Today.

The Christian Peoples Alliance party, one of the leading opponents of the building of a London mega-casino, is demanding the council publish the results of the report.

The party's group of councillors on Newham Council have now applied under the Freedom of Information Act for the final report of the Newham Casino Commission to be released to the public.

"I challenge the Mayor to publish the report," said Cllr Alan Craig, leader of the CPA Group. "Why will he not do so?

"The arguments in favour of a casino for the borough have been roundly demolished. The Commission's own opinion poll showed the great majority of Newham residents are against it.

"Gordon Brown cancelled Manchester's associated super-casino because the much vaunted 'regeneration benefits' are certainly not proven and probably non-existent. The social costs in terms of increased crime, gambling addiction and family breakdown are clearly evident wherever a casino is located in a deprived area like Newham."

The CPA head said, "The Mayor must be embarrassed about the Commission's Report because they have looked at the evidence and therefore they must have recommended that London's mega-casino should not be built in Newham. That raises the question - 'Why did the Mayor apply to the government to build it here in the first place?'

"Let Labour publish the Report now. But if they don't, CPA will publish it under the FOI Act.

"But better, why doesn't the Mayor simply admit his mistake and cancel the casino project?"