OpinionOn The Money
premium

Starmer signals a bonfire of the quangos - but the Gambling Commission is set to avoid going up in smoke

Bill Barber says the regulator is unlikely to be affected by a shift in government attitudes

author image
Industry editor
Sir Keir Starmer became the first serving prime minister since Winston Churchill to attend the St Leger
Prime minister Keir Starmer is targeting regulators, but perhaps not the Gambling CommissionCredit: Edward Whitaker

It may have escaped the attention of those whose focus was on events in Gloucestershire, but prime minister Keir Starmer last week reiterated his promise to cut back on regulation. He said that for too long government had hidden behind regulators, "deferring decisions and allowing regulations to bloat and block meaningful growth in this country".

However, no doubt to the disappointment of its critics, it would seem unlikely the Gambling Commission will be going up in smoke as part of a new bonfire of the quangos. Neither was the commission one of the regulators written to by the government before Christmas asking them to identify pro-growth proposals which could be made this year. 

Indeed, while the government is promising to cut regulators on one hand, on the other it is adopting the previous government's plans to introduce a new football regulator.

Read the full story

Read award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing, with exclusive news, interviews, columns, investigations, stable tours and subscriber-only emails.

Subscribe to unlock
  • Racing Post digital newspaper (worth over £100 per month)
  • Award-winning journalism from the best writers in racing
  • Expert tips from the likes of Tom Segal and Paul Kealy
  • Replays and results analysis from all UK and Irish racecourses
  • Form study tools including the Pro Card and Horse Tracker
  • Extensive archive of statistics covering horses, trainers, jockeys, owners, pedigree and sales data
Subscribe

Already a subscriber?Log in

Published on inOn The Money

Last updated

iconCopy