Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Betting Shops debate this evening in Parliament
I've secured an adjournment debate this evening for the House of Commons chamber on Planning Law and Bookmakers in Haringey.
There is no definitive start time as the House doesn't operate by the clock, but I'm told it is likely to start just after 7pm. I've been allotted half an hour and there will be a response by a Communities and Local Government Minister.
Whilst it is obviously a Licensing problem as well as a Planning one, the Minister will be from the DCLG so I will focus my remarks specifically on the planning aspects and the upcoming decentralisation and localism bill.
I'm told by BBC Parliament that they will cover it, so please tune in if you get the chance.
I'll post my speech in full up on my website tomorrow, please give me some feedback.
David
There is no definitive start time as the House doesn't operate by the clock, but I'm told it is likely to start just after 7pm. I've been allotted half an hour and there will be a response by a Communities and Local Government Minister.
Whilst it is obviously a Licensing problem as well as a Planning one, the Minister will be from the DCLG so I will focus my remarks specifically on the planning aspects and the upcoming decentralisation and localism bill.
I'm told by BBC Parliament that they will cover it, so please tune in if you get the chance.
I'll post my speech in full up on my website tomorrow, please give me some feedback.
David
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on
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David:
Thanks for this. Unfortunately I missed watching your speech live. I see that the text of your important speech is now on your website and there is a link to the relevant part of Hansard.
Incidentally, The Telegraph reported today that
Paddy Power now a bigger company than Bank of Ireland
Something to celebrate or a distortion of how things ought to be?
Clive
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Permalink Reply by PeterPiper on
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Thank you David Lammy for securing an adjournment debate in the House of Commons on Wednesday evening regarding planning law and bookmakers in Haringey. Well done!
It was pleasing to hear you publicly acknowledge the failings of the Gambling Act 2005, and in particular "aim to permit".
I am pleased to also note your reference to the problem as being one that derives cross-party support and is not solely a Haringey problem. You made a number of valid points and I hope that you will continue to oppose the unintended consequences that the Act produced and will use all your powers to seek a solution, for the sake of communities across the land.
Thank you Clive for the link to Hansard.
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Hi Peter, Since putting up the link to the relevant pages in Hansard, I've downloaded the speech and created a pdf, below (congratulations on being named in Parliament!).
This is an important speech, not just because a prominent politician sets out some of the current issues, but because it also sets out the government's response. The title was Betting Shops & Planning in Haringey and it is clear that the govt. is unenthusiastic about having a suis generis category for betting shops or indeed using amendments in planning legislation to tackle this problem.
The main problem with adding to planning law is that it would be in direct conflict with the objects of an unreformed Gambling Act (a gold mine for lawyers, not so great at fixing the problem).
It was not discussed, but I hope that this leaves the door open to the only really effective means of addressing the problem, i.e. amendments to the Gambling Act.
I urge anyone interested in the subject to read Mr Lammy's speech as this sets out the latest position on this nationwide problem. - Attachments:
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Permalink Reply by Steve Sims on
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Aren't betting shops just the equivalent of what pubs were 20 years or so years ago or what Cypriot social clubs were before that in the 70s and 80s ? I think its wrong to stigmatise people who frequent betting shops, which is where this discussion appears to be headed. I know a number of people, especially those who are retired or unemployed ,whose main or only social outlet is a trip to the bookies. I understand the tenet of what is being aspired to- that we get our High Streets back and that all the shops and their customers form part of a strong community focussed network. But that world is long gone- partly for structural reasons- unemployment, poverty, want of access to further education- the building blocks are not there. And also because of our local demographic- something that is often forgotten. If you study the bookmakers across Green Lanes you will see that their customers are regular customers, and that specific bookies are frequented by members of particular BAME groups. David, why don't you go off to some of the bookies and chat to the customers, I would suggest that those who voted at the last election, voted for you and not the ConDems. The discussion you are seeking to generate is a laudable one- the ins and outs of often tedious planning law being a minor irritant in this respect- but I believe that our understanding of some of the issues can be blurred by where we sit in society. The have nots may have a different take than do the haves.
Son of an immigrant and proud of it- who came to this country with nothing and who used to tell me all sorts of stories about how he was treated like a 2nd class citizen all those years ago because of where he came from and because of the clubs he frequented- in the days when we had pristine marbled Town Halls and delightful Harvest festivals and when young boys joined the scouts and boys brigade and carried out good deeds.
Entaxi and yiasou
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John
Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Groups
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NB march today, at Midday, from Body Music (north side of Seven Sisters Tube Station). Speeches by David Lammy MP etc.
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who were the other speakers Clive ?
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BETTING shop proliferation march: update: Mr Lammy did not turn up; you wouldn't know the others, although Peter Lorimer and I both spoke.
(the march paused outside a number of betting shops. One of our enthusiastic woman members flung open the door of one such place, motioned the punters to exit and yelled "come on out". Such spirit! The poor punters sheltered inside.)
It's important to recognize that this is, or should be, a cross-party campaign, unaligned to any political party. Anything else is doomed to fail.
Councillors Isidoros Diakides (Labour) and David Schmitz (Lib Dem) were both there at the beginning to lend their support, but neither attempted to make party political capital from the march: it would have been entirely inappropriate and I think both Councillors would be the first to agree.
The same cannot be said for the tiny Socialist Workers Party who largely hijacked the march in a classic example of Entryism. I was far from being the only person on the march to be uncomfortable and concerned about this. If the campaign becomes associated with a single party, or worse, is seen to be merely a part of a political party that enjoys miniscule electoral support, it cannot succeed.
The notion that a majority Conservative Coalition government is going to amend the law about something promoted by the SWP is not something I endorse.
John: one member of the SWP assailed Peter on Peter's measured approach to gambling. The absolutist SWP man was totally opposed to all gambling. This approach would achieve nothing.
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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I'm surprised nobody else took you up on this. So here's my feeble attempt.
Many HoLers have said that they are not above a flutter at the local bookie, there has been no stigmatisation that I can see (click on the "betting" tag in the original discussion)* and none of the betting shop discussions that I can remember have ever done that. Ever. Don't take my word for it though, click through and read up.
As for Aren't betting shops just the equivalent of what pubs were 20 years or so years ago or what Cypriot social clubs were before that in the 70s and 80s, let's just agree to disagree. I can take my family into the Salisbury for lunch. I assume you think of the English pub in the same way I think of the English bookie. I am not of course fortunate enough to be a member of a "cypriot social club".
Immigrant but neither proud nor ashamed of it.
* can someone in David's office clue him up on how tagging works please? bettingshops etc
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