Manchester made test bed for casino gamble

9.00.00am GMT Thu 1st Feb 2007

Is Las Vegas coming to Manchester?

Manchester MP John Leech has expressed his dismay at the announcement that Manchester will become the testing ground for Britain's only supercasino

Manchester was said to "represent a good place to test the social impact" of having a casino but John Leech has said that the risks involved and the lack of regional consultation make him very wary of the project.

Speaking after the announcement, John Leech said: "The casino is to be built in one of the most deprived areas of Manchester. Increasing gambling addiction in the region is no way to solve the deep-rooted social problems that many part of Manchester face.

"Manchester is to be made the guinea pig in an experiment conducted by a government fixated with creating an Americanised gambling nation.

"There is very little evidence that the casino will have any real regenerative benefits - the only people to truly benefit will be rich casino operators. The government and the council have been blinded by this corporate money without adequate local consultation.

"The people of Manchester must be allowed to decide whether they want a supercasino through a local referendum rather than having one forced upon it by Labour."