Rt Rev Roger Sainsbury: Lottery would convey wrong message

The Right Reverend Roger Sainsbury, Bishop of Barking in east London, said the draw would be a "travesty".

He continued: "What a distraction it would be on the eve of the new millennium for the nation to be holding its breath to see who will win the super draw on the National Lottery, rather than worshipping Jesus who revealed in his life and teaching the God of justice, who was good news to the poor."

Dr Sainsbury mounted his campaign in a letter to the latest issue of the Church of England Newspaper.

'New start'

He said his heart sank when he read that National Lottery organiser Camelot may be planning to celebrate the new millennium with a £250m super-draw.

"Political commentators and well-respected journals told us at the time of the launch of the National Lottery that lotteries were a sure way of transferring wealth from the poor to the rich.

"What a travesty it would be if we celebrate the millennium not by encouraging a new start for the world's poor - including those in our own urban and rural areas - but by making the poor still poorer," he said.

Dr Sainsbury added: "I therefore hope Christians and people of all faiths across the nation will openly oppose Camelot's plans by lobbying government ministers and their local MPs so our millennium celebrations nationally and locally will not be spoilt."