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Allister Craddock
The Politics Show
East Midlands
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East Midlands cities are bidding for Casino's
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Several local authorities in the East Midlands are waiting to see if their number comes up.
The East Midlands Politics Show reports on how councils across the region have bid for permission to site controversial, new-wave casinos in their areas.
The Casino Advisory Panel, an independent body set up to advise the Government, will announce next week which councils have made the national short list.
The Government has come in for widespread criticism for its decision to allow 17 new casinos.
One of them will be a huge new centre with unlimited jackpot winnings on gaming machines.
Chesterfield Borough Council has submitted an application for the mega casino.
Leicester and Peterborough are bidding for one of eight "large" casinos. So are Derby and Mansfield.
The Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, Hugo Swire, says the Government is heading into uncharted waters when it comes to problem gambling.
And he has accused the Secretary of State, Tessa Jowell, of presiding over the "biggest explosion of gambling this country has ever seen".
The elected Mayor of Mansfield, Councillor Tony Egginton tells presenter, Marie Ashby, why he believes the new casino could provide a shot in the arm for the local economy as part of a major regeneration scheme.
Also on the Politics Show: Lib Dem chaos
What is going on at Leicester City Council? Eight Lib Dem councillors have formed a breakaway group which means Leicester is now effectively a hung council.
The main Lib Dems group had previously held 24 seats on the council and was the biggest political block on the authority.
But the rebel faction means Labour are now the largest group with 20 seats. The Tories have 10 councillors.
A leading member of the breakaway group, Mark Farmer, joins Marie Ashby in the studio.
Why have they split from the rest of their party? And what are the repercussions for Leicester?
And ... Flood threat
Our political editor, John Hess, reveals how several villages in the East Midlands could be under water by the end of the century.
The Environment Agency has been investigating the impact of climate change on low-lying areas along the Trent, Derwent and Dove.
The Labour MP for Derbyshire South, Mark Todd, has been told that communities in Hatton and downstream in Egginton are particularly vulnerable.
The Environment Agency is looking at whether there should be further measures to protect these communities.
Or should the money be targeted at bigger population areas?
That is the Politics Show Sunday 04 June 2006 at 12.00pm.
Join presenter Marie Ashby for the Politics Show on BBC One on Sundays.
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