Jowell defends Lotto grants

Lottery ticket sales have fallen

Lotto cash should be spent on "progressive" causes - even if they contradict government policy, Tessa Jowell has insisted.

The culture secretary was hitting back at Tory claims the lottery is losing public support through its support for "politically correct" causes.

Awards to help farmers in Peru breed meatier guinea pigs for eating undermine public confidence

John Whittingdale
Tory spokesman

She said the lottery had been a major "force for good" since it began seven years ago.

But if it only funded successful and popular causes, it would "simply act as an agent of the status quo".

Grant worries

The Conservatives have seized on the row over a £340,000 Lotto grant to the National Coalition of Anti-Deportation Campaigns (NCADC), a group which fights the deportation of asylum seekers.

The award was made this week by the Community Fund, the quango which hands out lottery cash, despite initial concerns from Home Secretary David Blunkett.

Shadow culture secretary John Whittingdale told MPs the NCADC was a "political organisation ... waging a political campaign" against the government's asylum laws.

The asylum group's grant has prompted criticism

He said it was one of a "number" of awards made to "politically correct" organisations.

Another example was the Communities Empowerment Network which advised two teenagers expelled from a Surrey school after they made death threats to a teacher.

Mr Whittingdale added: "Of course it is right the Community Fund should support less popular charitable organisations which find it harder to raise voluntary contributions."

But awards to help "farmers in Peru breed meatier guinea pigs" or "to stage a lesbian and gay pantomime" undermined public confidence that their money was being spent as they would want, he argued.

'Bandwagon' claim

Mr Whittingdale also said people resented the government "raiding" the Lotto "till" to pay for programmes which should be funded by the Treasury.

"The Culture Secretary must act now to restore public confidence", he said.

Tessa Jowell said people should move on from this "saga"

Ms Jowell dismissed the Tories' concerns as "bandwagon jumping".

She told MPs: "They haven't cared about this issue before and I tell you something, they won't either, once the bandwagon has moved on.

"They may want to be thought of as the 'nice party' but this kind of debate and its timing shows they really are still the "nasty party".

"And what's more to connoisseurs and historians they really still are the stupid party."

'Arms length' decisions

Ms Jowell welcomed Mr Whittingdale's condemnation of alleged campaign of "racist hatred and abuse" which she claimed had been directed at the Community Fund, following news of the NCADC grant.

She defended the right of the fund to act at "arms length" from the government.

"Whatever my own views about this grant, I will defend utterly their right to make this decision without any political interference," Ms Jowell told MPs.

She said she now considered the matter of the NCDAC grant "closed": "We should learn the lessons of this saga and we should move on".

The Community Fund was also learning lessons and was drawing up new guidelines on the "nature of political activity" of organisations applying for grants.

And groups that encourage the law to be broken "will not be eligible for funds".

Do you support the decision to award the NCADC with a lottery grant? What impact do you think it will have on the current climate surrounding asylum seekers? Tell us what you think.

I have serious reservations about the intentions of this group

Brian MacKay, Scotland

I have supported the National Lottery since it started and to a very great extent support the charities it gave money to. I have serious reservations about the intentions of this group and decided that if this award is given my participation in the Lottery will end.
Brian MacKay, Scotland

Not only is the coalition of anti-deportation campaigns a good cause, but the media frenzy against it is an absolute, shameful disgrace. Refugees are the most disenfranchised and marginalised people in the community; subject to arbitrary imprisonment, discrimination and the threat of deportation to countries where their lives and welfare are at grave risk. These non-government organisations not only deserve the funding they receive, but they should receive public commendations for their efforts.
Sean, UK

I am a lottery player and have been since the start but will be reviewing my participation in view of some of the grants which I regard as partisan and politically motivated. Too often lottery money is used on projects which should be funded either by the government or by the interested parties through fund raising. I think the lottery money would be more appropriately used if awarded to recognised charities working in the UK for the aged and for children.
Alan, UK

It is very important to ensure funding for groups like the NCADC so that checks and balances exist throughout the entire process of seeking asylum including when people are subject to deportation orders. The success of their previous work for potential deportees shows that the system would be abusive if this last line of defence was not available. I do not feel threatened by asylum seekers and I would rather liberalise policy than return anyone to a risk situation
John Davies, UK

I am greatly annoyed than money is given to these types of groups when ex-servicemen's charities are denied. The political correct lobby exerts it pressure again
Colin Taylor, England

Lottery money should be used for charitable causes, not for organisations or others with a strong political agenda.
James Cooper, UK

I certainly do not support this award and as such have now ceased buying a lottery ticket.
Dave Maltby, UK

The decision to award lottery funds to the NCADC is a farce because the NCADC openly opposes the policies of the elected government. It is time to scrap the current system of awards and let the paying public decide. We certainly won't play the lottery any more under the current farcical conditions.
Richard Marriott, England

Once again, it seems we're missing the real issue. Is it right that a government should provide a financial incentive to an organisation on condition that the organisation abandons "doctrinaire publicity"? Or, to put it another way, is the government paying the NCADC to stop bad mouthing it?
Mike, UK

We must embrace the people of the world. But the government should be responsible for education, health and the elderly. The lottery is a good source of income for other needy groups.
Michelle Cherfan, England

Yet again we English are being made to feel like third class citizens in our own back yard. This lottery grant is a disgrace. I thought lottery funding was all about increasing the quality of life in Britain, not decreasing it.
Jason, England

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