Uk new casinos

Judgment Day for Prescott

Thursday will see John Prescott awaiting his fate on the decision of MPs on the Standards and Privileges Committee over a 90-minute session on whether he has been in breach of parliamentary rules over his visit to the ranch of Philip Anschutz, a super casino bidder.

It has been widely speculated upon that the Deputy Prime Minister will only be receiving a "mild rebuke" for his failure to officially declare the ranch visit and gifts given by Anschutz.

The investigation of Prescott by Parliamentary standards watchdog Sir Philip Mawer was instigated by a complaint from shadow culture secretary Hugo Swire regarding the ranch visit. The investigation soon after widened its scope to cover the gifts that Prescott received.

However, many speculate that even if the issue is settled with the announcement, it is highly unlikely that the controversy will end there.

Opposition MPs have been crtiticizing Prescott nonstop over the last few months, saying that it is unethical for a senior Cabinet minister to accept hospitality from a casino license seeker, especially for a project as grand as the super casino.

He has always denied any suggestion of improper conduct as he insists that he plays no part in deciding where the super casino will be located.