"CORRUPT INFLUENCE OF GAMBLERS"

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21808, 13 June 1936, Page 15

"CORRUPT INFLUENCE OF GAMBLERS"

LABOUR AMENDMENT TO REPORT ENQUIRY PROPOSAL REJECTED LONDON, June 11. . After the debate on the budget leakages report in the House of Commons, Major C. R. Attlee (leader of the Labour Opposition) indicated that he would not personally move the Labour amendment, that: “In view of the definite findings of the tribunal and the disclosures of gambling practices in the City of London, this House calls on the Government to take appropriate action.” The amendment was moved by Mr Tom Johnston. Major Attlee attacked “the corrupt influences emanating from gamblers in the city,” and said it was high time that there was a clean-up of the city. The superstructure of mere gambling had been built up upon legitimate institutions. The Opposition urged an enquiry into it.

The Chancellor of the Exchequer (Mr Neville Chamberlain) said that gambling could not be stopped by legislation. He had suggested to Lloyd’s a sort of “close season” from the end of the financial year on March 31 until the budget was announced in the House of Commons, during which time no budget risk would be accepted. Lloyd’s had assented, and thus what had happened would not happen again. In the meantime, Lloyd’s had appealed to the underwriting agents not to accept insurance contingency risks without assuring themselves that the insured had legitimate interests to be covered.

The House then divided on the amendment, which was rejected by 227 votes to 135, after which the motion to accept the report was agreed to without a division.