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07/07/2006
Prescott under pressure over further claims
The Deputy Prime Minister is coming under increasing pressure to resign amid further claims that his office was involved in assisting a billionaire's bid to open a super-casino in the Millennium Dome.
According to a report in 'The Times', emails have emerged allegedly showing that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister attempted to block a rival casino application in Southend-on-Sea.
The paper quoted an email from Mary Spence, chief executive of Thames Gateway South Essex Partnership to colleagues, following a meeting with the ODPM. It said: "ODPM want to make a decision on a single preferred option in the (Thames Gateway) Strategic Framework - reason for this being that government policy is ONE licence."
Rob Tinlin, chief executive of Southend Borough Council, said that this was a "wholly indefensible approach from the ODPM which is meddling in the first degree".
A spokesperson for Mr Prescott denied the allegation.
Mr Prescott is continuing to resist pressure to resign from his post. The row stemmed from a visit to the ranch of Philip Anschutz - the owner of the Millennium Dome - last July and revelations that the Deputy Prime Minister had several other meetings with him.
Mr Prescott has denied any involvement in the casino planning policy. However, an inquiry has been launched by Parliamentary Standards watchdog Sir Philip Mawer, following a complaint by the Conservatives.
On Friday, the Conservatives responded angrily to a letter from Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell over the affair.
Shadow Culture Secretary Hugo Swire said that Sir Gus had not mentioned the Ministerial Code and had failed to deal with concerns that Mr Prescott had breached the code by failing to declare the stay at Mr Anschutz's ranch.
However, in the reply, Sir Gus said that Mr Prescott had now declared the trip in the Register of Members' Interest.
A Cabinet Office spokesperson said that it was not the role of the Cabinet Secretary to enforce or investigate ministers.
Mr Prescott has faced calls to resign ever since it emerged earlier this year that he had an affair with his diary secretary.
(KMcA/GB)
According to a report in 'The Times', emails have emerged allegedly showing that the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister attempted to block a rival casino application in Southend-on-Sea.
The paper quoted an email from Mary Spence, chief executive of Thames Gateway South Essex Partnership to colleagues, following a meeting with the ODPM. It said: "ODPM want to make a decision on a single preferred option in the (Thames Gateway) Strategic Framework - reason for this being that government policy is ONE licence."
Rob Tinlin, chief executive of Southend Borough Council, said that this was a "wholly indefensible approach from the ODPM which is meddling in the first degree".
A spokesperson for Mr Prescott denied the allegation.
Mr Prescott is continuing to resist pressure to resign from his post. The row stemmed from a visit to the ranch of Philip Anschutz - the owner of the Millennium Dome - last July and revelations that the Deputy Prime Minister had several other meetings with him.
Mr Prescott has denied any involvement in the casino planning policy. However, an inquiry has been launched by Parliamentary Standards watchdog Sir Philip Mawer, following a complaint by the Conservatives.
On Friday, the Conservatives responded angrily to a letter from Cabinet Secretary Sir Gus O'Donnell over the affair.
Shadow Culture Secretary Hugo Swire said that Sir Gus had not mentioned the Ministerial Code and had failed to deal with concerns that Mr Prescott had breached the code by failing to declare the stay at Mr Anschutz's ranch.
However, in the reply, Sir Gus said that Mr Prescott had now declared the trip in the Register of Members' Interest.
A Cabinet Office spokesperson said that it was not the role of the Cabinet Secretary to enforce or investigate ministers.
Mr Prescott has faced calls to resign ever since it emerged earlier this year that he had an affair with his diary secretary.
(KMcA/GB)
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