Sir John Major’s Statement on the National Lottery – 30 July 2006

The text of Sir John Major’s statement on the National Lottery, made to the Sunday Telegraph on 30th July 2006.

SIR JOHN MAJOR:

My original vision for the Lottery was to fund a renaissance in sport, the arts and our heritage. I saw the opportunity to fund projects that the Treasury would never be able to afford.

In ten years much has been achieved, but far more could have been done if the Labour Government had not perverted the original aim of the Lottery by diverting billions of pounds from each good cause for their own purpose. It has been larceny on a grand scale.

I am absolutely delighted that a future Conservative Government will restore the Lottery to its original purpose. We will all be the richer for that.