Thangam Debbonaire has been voted out of parliament in the recent general elections. This leaves the future of her department unclear under the Labour Government. It also raises questions about the timing of land-based gambling reforms.
Debbonaire had been due to assume the DCMS shadow secretary brief. She lost Bristol Central to Carla Denyer, despite Labour’s overwhelming victory.
Debbonaire won 14,132 votes while Denyer received 24,539.
Starmer appointed Debbonaire as a Shadow Secretary of State for DCMS back in September. After boundary changes, in 2023, she was elected as the Bristol Central MP. She had been the Bristol West MP since 2015.
Lucy Frazer who was the secretary of culture, media, and sport for the departing Conservative government also lost her seat yesterday. Frazer lost by a narrow margin to Charlotte Cane, a member of the Liberal Democrats from Ely and East Cambridge.
What’s next for DCMS?
This news has raised questions as to what could happen at the DCMS. Starmer will consider Debbonaire’s direct replacement or a new approach.
George McGregor is the executive director of British Amusement Catering Trade Association.
McGregor said that there was a chance she could be placed in the House of Lords, and then become secretary of state for the lords.
Stephanie Peacock to be appointed gambling minister
McGregor also suggested that the DCMS could be restructured by separating the gaming brief.
This will be taken on by Stephanie Peacock who, as shadow minister for gambling, held her Barnsley South constituency last night.
He warned that this could delay the implementation of reforms to the Gambling Act Review. If you have two new ministers, one for gambling and the other for culture, then everything may be on hold for a few more months.
Can DCMS delays cause land-based reforms to be delayed?
A package of reforms was announced just before the announcement of the elections. This included a 2:1 ratio for Category C/D gaming machines to be used in arcades, bingo halls, and other venues, and the lifting of the ban on the use of debit cards.
McGregor believes that these reforms are essential for the retail industry. He added that Bacta would push for action once a new government was in place.
We’ll be pushing to review the stakes and prize amounts for gaming machines. Since 2010, the government in Britain has not allowed an increase of stakes or prizes for gaming machines. In pubs, for 13 years.
We’re asking an increase in stakes, and price just to keep up with inflation. Not more and not less. “So that’s one more of our requests for an incoming Labour Government.”
McGregor is hopeful that Labour will maintain its recent support of land-based reforms after the election. If, prior to the election, Labour ministers showed broad cross-party support, I am talking about stake reductions, land-based deregulation for cashless, and deregulation of adult gambling centres.
It would be curious to see if there was cross-party agreement in June on a certain set of policies, and in July when the new government is formed, people say that they are no longer interested. “I think that the fact they used a specific phrase indicates they are interested in making progress with the reforms currently being discussed,” concluded he.
