MPs slam Olympic bid lottery ‘raid’

MPs and voluntary organisations have condemned plans to “raid” the
national lottery fund of £1.5bn to support London’s Olympic
bid.

A report by the House of Commons culture, media and sport select
committee said the move undermined a founding principle of the fund
– that it should not be used to replace government spending.

MPs said taking £1.5bn for the Olympics, even via a new
separate lottery, was a “straightforward raid” on the fund which
would become a “huge potential drain on all the existing good
causes”.

Kevin Curley, chief executive of the National Association of
Councils for Voluntary Services, said: “We hope that London wins
the Olympic bid, but it should not be at the expense of poor people
in England.”