Plaid Cymru join Welsh bingo protestors at Westminster

Plaid Cymru’s Hywel Williams MP and Plaid’s Westminster candidate in Llanelli Dr Myfanwy Davies, today joined forces with bingo players from Llanelli to campaign against unfair taxation on bingo.

The group from Llanelli lead by Nigel Griffiths traveled 330 miles to fight for their bingo club’s future by protesting in Dean’s Yard opposite the Houses of Parliament.

Protestors wore Alistair Darling masks, carried several placards, some even circled the square aboard the ‘Bingo bus’, and even joined in a game of Bingo on the green to champion the cause.

Plaid Cymru’s Hywel Williams has previously warned that the decision to increase in the rate of duty from 15% to 22% could signal a decline for Bingo clubs.

A Plaid-backed SNP motion to reverse the decision was recently defeated by Labour MPs. Other forms of gambling such as casino or online poker remain taxed at 15%.

Plaid’s Hywel Williams MP said:

“The Government's treatment of the bingo sector is incredibly unfair. In the Budget, the Government announced that it had removed the VAT on participation fees for Bingo players, but at the same time has increased the rate of bingo duty from 22%. This makes no sense in practise.

“Tax fairness is essential during the recession and this taxation on licensed bingo halls is dangerous as it targets the heart of our communities, and in particular older women and those from lower income households. Bingo halls provide a safe and friendly environment for the whole community to meet and socialise.

“The protestors have championed this cause fantastically today. I hope that the Government will now see for itself that bingo clubs and their constituents are suffering under this burdensome tax.”

Dr Myfanwy Davies added:

“Bingo has been part of life in Llanelli for as long as I can remember and the last thing we need in the town centre is for the club in Market Street to have to close.

“This is a completely unfair and ridiculous tax on people’s enjoyment. Bingo is already taxed once and there is no justification for treating bingo differently from online poker or any other form of gambling.

“We’ve come today to show those MPs that voted for the tax hike will see that they cannot ignore the voice of their constituents.”

SNP AHEAD FOR WESTMINSTER, HOLYROOD AND EUROPE

YOUGOV POLL SHOWS SNP SUPPORT SOARS

The SNP have hailed the latest opinion poll by YouGov published in the Sunday Times today which shows that support for the SNP has almost doubled from 18% to 31% since 2005. The poll of more than 1,000 Scottish voters also shows that support for Labour has slumped and would see the party lose nearly a third of its 41 Scottish MPs, with Scottish secretary Jim Murphy and Scotland Office minister Ann McKechin struggling to hold their seats.

Coming just a week after the SNP won the popular vote in the European Elections, SNP Westminster leader and party Business Convener Angus Robertson MP seized on the poll which shows the SNP, for the first time, ahead for the Scottish Parliament, Europe and Westminster.

Mr Robertson said:

“This is a fantastic poll result for the SNP. For the first time ever, we are in the lead for Westminster, Holyrood and the European Parliament all at the same time, and on the back of last week's historic election victory.

“It shows that the people have confidence in the Scottish Government and its assured performance in stark contrast to the chaos, infighting and meltdown at the heart of Gordon Brown’s Downing Street.

“Scottish Labour MPs will be looking at these results fearfully, with the party set to lose more than a third of its MPs, while the Tories’ talk of making inroads is looking more like a dead-end. Lib/Dem support has also collapsed, showing all the Calman parties all in trouble.

“Increasingly, it looks as though the SNP may well hold the balance of power at Westminster, and that the Tories and David Cameron will have no mandate in Scotland, regardless of how they perform elsewhere.

“With Labour and the Tories making no secret that they plan to make damaging cuts to Scottish spending, people know that SNP success at the General Election can stop these cuts completely and ensure we are well placed to recover strongly from the recession.

“SNP success is taking Scotland forward, and we will continue to make the case for independence and equality as the best future for our nation.”

BROWN BRANDED ‘THE LATE REFORMER’ OVER PARLIAMENT PLANS

Speaking following the Prime Minister’s statement on democratic reform, SNP Constitutional Affairs spokesperson Pete Wishart MP branded Gordon Brown as the ‘late reformer’ and repeated calls for a General Election as the first step towards restoring trust and confidence in the Westminster parliament.

Mr Wishart said:

“Gordon Brown is not so much the great reformer as he is the late reformer. He has had twelve years to make proposals for reform but has waited until his government is on the ropes and his party is in meltdown before suddenly sparking into action.

“Real electoral reform at Westminster is long overdue, but we first need a General Election so that we have a House of Commons that commands trust.

“This debate comes at a crucial moment for Westminster , and in the rush by the UK parties to bring forward proposals for reform, they would do well to look to the model of the Scottish Parliament. Most ideas being suggested to reform Westminster have been up and running at Holyrood for ten years – fixed terms, PR, a strong committee system, and total disclosure and transparency of expenses.

“Until Scotland secures independence, Holyrood may have fewer powers than Westminster , but it is abundantly clear that the Scottish Parliament provides the gold standard in setting new standards of democracy.”