Prescott Accused of Misleading Parliament
Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott faces new trouble as he is accused of misleading the Parliament over the depth of his involvement with high-ranking casino officials.
Prescott, in light of the Millennium Dome bid scandal, has only admitted to having had only one meeting with casino operators in Sydney 2004.
However, from the pressure over his links to the Dome owner, casino tycoon Philip Anschutz, Prescott subsequently confessed to having had another similar meeting with casino bosses.
The DPM has confessed to having met a representative of Kerzner International, another casino big name that is working with Anschutz in the bid to turn the Dome into Britain's first super casino.
Prescott however denied having had any formal meetings with Kerzner International. A spokesman for the DPM has admitted that Prescott indeed was introduced to a representative from Kerzner, however, he added that this would hardly constitute a meeting.
"I have had no meetings with Kerzner International. On Wednesday 17 August 2005, while on a well-publicised visit to the Greenwich Peninsula, I was one of a number of guests who were updated on progress in the area," Prescott said.
"I believe one of those present was a representative of Kerzner International but at no time did I have any conversations about plans for a casino, and I was accompanied by officials at all time," he added.
"This is clearly misleading," retorted Tory Culture Secretary Hugo Swire.