Bacta advances UK General Election preparations by meeting with Labour Party candidates

UK trade association Bacta has revealed that its preparations for the next UK General Election continue at a pace with George McGregor, Executive Director - Government Relations, Regulatory Affairs and Communications, recently attending a meeting with North West England Labour Party candidates including Patrick Hurley (Southport), Michelle Scrogham (Barrow & Furness), and Chris Webb (Blackpool South).

The meeting, which was part of a wider Tourism Alliance program, covered a broad range of tourism-related issues including support for the seaside sector, the contribution made by the amusements industry to seaside economies, and a proposal to increase stake and prize levels on gaming machines.
 
Reflecting on the initiative, George McGregor said: "We know there will be a General Election this year and it is a really opportune time to engage with prospective parliamentary candidates who are in campaigning mode.
 
"The Labour candidates that I met with are all likely to be elected MPs according to current opinion polls. The meeting was a great opportunity to forge links ahead of the General Election, outline what our industry contributes to economies throughout the country, and explain the unique set of challenges that it faces not least its inability to increase prices due to stake and prize regulations."

Bacta President John Bollom added: "The trade association has been preparing for a General Election for some time, and the recent meeting with prospective Labour MPs follows the EAG attendance of Labour Peer Lord McNicol of West Kilbride, who became the first politician to open an edition of EAG/ATEI since Tim Sainsbury MP in 1994.

 John Bollom, Bacta President

"Prior to that, November's Bacta Convention featured the Minister for Gambling, The Rt Hon Stuart Andrew MP, who made a keynote speech, as well as Phillip Davies, the Conservative MP for Shipley."
 
He continued: "Political engagement is a key part of the comprehensive package of services we provide Bacta members and I believe that thanks to the endeavors of the trade association, as well as those of member organizations who have opened their doors to their constituency MPs, that the industry's political stock has rarely been higher."

Earlier this month, Bacta's National Council announced the promotion of Robert Gibb to the role of Executive Director - Commercial, in another move as part of the UK association's reorganisation process. Gibb was Bacta's Head of Finance and Operations for the past eight years and he will now take on the lead for delivering services to Bacta members and overseeing the work of Bacta's team of Membership Support Officers (MSOs).