Plans for Britain’s Las-Vegas-style ‘supercasino’ in Manchester and 16 smaller casinos looked doubtful last night after the House of Lords voted against them.
Financial Times.
The three-vote defeat means Tessa Jowell, culture secretary, will now have to go back to the drawing board.
Moments after the Lords defeat was announced, the plans were approved in the Commons. MPs backed the proposals by 274 votes to 250.
The nature of the secondary legislation means that the order for the casinos plan cannot go before the Lords again in its current form. Revised legislation for the 16 smaller casinos could be introduced relatively uncontentiously. However, the row over the selection of Manchester over favourite Blackpool is set to continue.