YouthNet blog
An insight into youth issues, volunteering trends, charity life and more from the UK charity YouthNet
All | Events | Youth | Technology | Volunteering | YouthNet | Charity World
Thursday Jan 11, 2007
A political Lottery
Yesterday, Sir Clive Booth, Chair of the Big Lottery Fund, spoke out against the idea that it's resources could be used to cover a shortfall in funding for the 2012 Olympics.
Sir Clive is no stranger to the political controversy the Lottery Fund can attract. His own appointment was criticised last year when it was revealed that he had campaigned for Labour at the last three general elections. Judging by yesterday's comments, however, his independence should not be doubted.
"I don't know how anybody could live with themselves, let alone Gordon Brown, if they were taking money off [other] projects...to close an Olympic funding gap," Sir Clive said. "It would be criminal. We have already seen our budget top-sliced and we have readily accepted that should go to the Olympics as our contribution. But I don't really see why all the wonderful good cause projects should have to subsidise the Olympics beyond what we have already done. I am trying to draw a line in the sand."
There has been fierce debate about how Lottery money should be spent since the first tickets were issued. Some, like Luke FitzHerbert, remembered in obituaries this week, felt that it was little more than a tax on the poor and would be used to replace other public funding.
With the added spice of the Olympics the Lottery could yet become a major issue in the run up to the next election. The Tories have promised "to put Lottery cash back where it belongs - in the hands of charities, heritage, the arts and sport" but the details of what exactly they mean by this remain vague.
Posted by Tom Green ( 10:46 AM ) Link to this post Comments[1]