As announced it is Beswick in Manchester that has won the right to have the Supercasino. The Guardian points out:

The supercasino is to be built in Beswick, a poor area of east Manchester. (…) Bid organisers say it will regenerate the area, promising a £265m investment and 2,700 direct and indirect jobs in one of the most deprived parts of the country.

As one wag has already pointed out, perhaps John Prescott really was talking to Philip Anschutz about Wilberforce? However, one little thing that slightly worried me:

It will be based at Sportcity, close to the City of Manchester stadium - built for the Commonwealth Games and now used by Manchester City football club.

What is this? The same area that had the Commonwealth Games is still one of the most deprived areas of the country? You mean that having a few thousand sporting types visit for a few weeks does not in fact, despite a few hundred millions spent here and there, ensure lasting prosperity?

An interesting thought really, given that we’re currently likely to spend £20 billion or so (Wat Tyler’s possible underestimate) having a slightly larger number of sporting types come for a few weeks to East London. The justification being that it will regenerate one of the most deprived areas of the country and create lasting prosperity.

Anyone know how I can apply for the Stratford Supercasino licence that’ll be on offer sometime in, ooh, 2017?

From Adam Smith Institute

Tags: Libertarian, Politics, Liberty, Freedom