Conservative MP for Harlow, Rob Halfon, has pledged his support for the bingo industry by signing the bingo bond.
Mr Halfon has also met with members and staff at his local club, Mecca Harlow, which has over 40,000 members. Mr Halfon has a signed copy of the bingo bond hanging in his Westminster office.
Bingo needs your backing!
Bingo clubs are closing up and down the country. Excessive taxation, the smoking ban and the re-regulation of machines have all contributed to the destruction of an industry that lies at the heart of many communities in the UK.
These closures have a serious impact on both those who use them and those who rely on their income, whether it be club owners themselves, suppliers or the government that relies on their taxation. Bingo generates billions of pounds in stake money, employs 16,000 people across the country and is played by over three million people every week.
It is not too late for the regulatory landscape to change so that bingo can flourish once more. We are asking parliamentary candidates to sign the ‘bingo bond’ to show their support for the bingo industry and call for a fairer taxation regime.
Read ‘Why Back Bingo?‘ for more information.
Latest Posts
Posted August 13th, 2010
Posted August 9th, 2010
Conservative MP for Northhampton South, Brian Binley, has pledged his support for the bingo industry by signing the bingo bond.
Mr Binley signed the Bond whilst on a visit to meet members and staff at his local club, Beacon Bingo.
Posted July 5th, 2010
The newly elected Conservative MP for Gloucester, Richard Graham, has pledged his support for the bingo industry by signing the Bingo Bond.
Mr Graham signed the Bond whilst on a visit to meet members and staff at his local club, Mecca Gloucester.
Posted July 5th, 2010
The Labour MP for Huddersfield, Barry Sheerman, has pledged his support for bingo by signing the Bingo Bond.
Mr Sheerman signed the Bond whilst on a visit to his local club, Mecca Huddersfield.
Posted June 23rd, 2010
Labour MP for Lanark and Hamilton East, Jim Hood, has expressed his support for Bingo by signing the Bingo Bond. Mr Hood kindly pleged his support whilst on a trip to his local club, Mecca Hamilton.
Posted May 28th, 2010
Labour MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, Mark Lazarowicz, has pledged his ongoing support for Bingo by signing the Bingo Bond. Mr Lazarowicz signed the Bond whilst paying a visit to his local club, Mecca Leith Capitol.
Posted May 19th, 2010
The newly elected Labour MP for Easington, Grahame Morris, has pledged his support for Bingo by signing the Bingo Bond. Mr Morris visited his local club, Carlton Bingo in Horden, whilst on the campaign trail in the recent General Election.
Posted May 18th, 2010
A series of photographs by Simon Roberts, commissioned by the House of Commons, will be featured in a summer exhibition in Parliament.
Among a number of photos featured are a set taken during a Bingo club visit by MP’s Luciana Berger and Stephen Twigg. Both Mr Twigg and Ms Berger pledged their support for Bingo by [...]
Posted May 7th, 2010
The newly elected Conservative MP for Ipswich, Ben Gummer, has pledged his support for Bingo by signing the Bingo Bond. Mr Gummer signed the bond whilst on a pre-election trip to his local club, Mecca Ipswich.
Mr Gummer later commented, “I recognise that bingo makes a valuable social contribution and I agree that the tax rate [...]
Posted May 6th, 2010
Labour & Cooperative Party Candidate for Plymouth Sutton & Devonport, Linda Gilroy, recently visited her local club, Gala Charles Cross. Ms Gilroy has previously shown her support for Bingo by signing the Bingo Bond and later blogged about her visit on her personal website -
“Earlier this week I visited Charles Cross Gala Bingo continuing [...]
Posted May 5th, 2010
The Scottish National Party candidate for Dundee West, Jim Barrie has pledged his support for Bingo by signing the Bingo Bond. Mr Barrie signed the Bond whilst on a visit to his local club, Mecca Dundee Playhouse.
Mr Barrie was joined on the visit by fellow SNP candidate, and long time friend of Bingo, Stewart Hosie, [...]
Posted May 5th, 2010
The Labour candidate for Ipswich, Chris Mole, has pledged his support for Bingo by signing the Bingo Bond. Mr Mole signed the Bond whilst on a visit to his local club, Gala Ipswich.
Posted May 4th, 2010
The Labour candidate for Dewsbury, Shahid Malik, has pledged his support for Bingo by signing the Bingo Bond. Mr Malik signed the Bond whilst visiting his local club, Mecca Dewsbury.
Posted May 4th, 2010
The Liberal Democrat candidate for Cheltenham, Martin Horwood, has pledged his support for Bingo by signing the Bingo Bond. Mr Horwood recently visited his local club, Ace Bingo in Cheltenham.
Posted May 4th, 2010
The Liberal Democrat candidate for Norwich South, Simon Wright, has pledged his support for Bingo by signing the Bingo Bond. Mr Wright signed the Bond whilst on a visit to his local club, Mecca Norwich All Saints Green.
Posted April 27th, 2010
The Labour Candidate for Dudley South, Rachel Harris, has pledged her support for Bingo by signing the Bingo Bond. Ms Harris signed the Bond whilst on a visit to her local club, Mecca Brierly Hill.
Posted April 26th, 2010
The Liberal Democrat candidate for Torbay, Adrian Sanders, has pledged his support for Bingo by signing the Bingo Bond. Mr Sanders signed the Bond whilst on a visit to his local club, Gala Torbay.
Posted April 21st, 2010
Labour candidate for Barnsley East, Michael Dugher, has pledged his ongoing support for Bingo by signing the Bingo Bond.
Posted April 21st, 2010
Conservative candidate for Bolton North East, Deborah Dunleavy, has pledged her support for Bingo by signing the Bingo Bond. Ms Dunleavy signed the Bond whilst on a recent visit to meet members and staff of Mecca Breightmet.
Posted April 20th, 2010
Nick Palmer, the Labour Candidate for Broxtowe, has pledged his support for Bingo on a recent trip to his local club, Mecca Beeston. Whilst on the visit, Mr Palmer signed the Bingo Bond.
Posted April 19th, 2010
The Labour Party Candidate for Liverpool West Derby, Stephen Twigg, has pledged his support for Bingo by signing the Bingo Bond. Mr Twigg signed the bond whilst visiting his local club, Mecca Knotty Ash, where he also became a member and donated his bingo winnings to charity.
Posted April 16th, 2010
Liberal Democrat MP for Falmouth and Camborne, Julia Goldsworthy, has pledged her support for Bingo by signing the Bingo Bond. Ms Goldsworthy signed the Bond whilst on a visit to her local club, Top Ten Bingo in Camborne.
Posted April 15th, 2010
Labour MP for Watford, Claire Ward, has pledged her ongoing support for Bingo by signing the Bingo Bond. Ms Ward signed the Bond whilst on a trip to her local club, Mecca Watford.
Posted April 15th, 2010
Labour Party candidate for Feltham and Heston, Alan Keen, has pledged his support for Bingo by signing the Bingo Bond whilst on a recent trip to his local club, Gala Feltham.
Posted April 14th, 2010
The Liberal Democrat MP for Torbay, Adrian Sanders, recently pledged his support for the Bingo industry by signing the Bingo Bond.
Posted April 12th, 2010
Patrick Hall, the Labour MP for Bedford and Kempston, last week visited his local Mecca Bingo Club. Whilst there, he also pledged to continue his support for Bingo by signing the Bingo Bond.
Posted April 7th, 2010
Dr Richard Taylor, Independent MP for Wyre Forest, has very kindly shown his support for Bingo by signing the Bingo Bond.
Posted April 1st, 2010
On a recent trip to his local Mecca Bingo, the Conservative Candidate for Eltham, David Gold, pledged his support for Bingo by signing the Bingo Bond.
Posted March 25th, 2010
The Chancellor, Alistair Darling, yesterday announced in his Budget that Bingo Duty is to be cut from 22 to 20% from the end of the March. Whilst this can be seen as a step in the right direction, the industry feels more still needs to be done. Tax on other forms of gambling – some [...]
Posted March 19th, 2010
Kelvin Hopkins, Labour MP for Luton North, has shown his ongoing support for Bingo in a recent letter to Paul Talboys, Chief Executive of the Bingo Association. Please click here to view the letter.
Posted March 19th, 2010
Plaid Cymru MP for Caernarfon, Hywel Williams, has pledged his ongoing supoprt for the Bingo industry by signing the Bingo Bond.
Posted March 19th, 2010
Plaid Cymru’s Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Llanelli, Dr Myfanwy Davies, has pledged her support for Bingo by signing the Bingo Bond.
Posted March 12th, 2010
On Tuesday 9th March, a Parliamentary reception was held in the House of Commons on behalf of the Bingo Association. The event, sponsored by Labour MP Eric Illsley, was attended by over 30 MP’s from the Labour, Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Scottish National benches, who pledged their support for and signed the Bingo Bond.
Posted March 11th, 2010
Labour’s Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Liverpool Wavertree, Luciana Berger has pledged to back the Bingo industry by signing the Bingo Bond during a visit to her local bingo club in Liverpool.
Posted March 10th, 2010
Tony Wright, Labour MP for Great Yarmouth, has pledged his support for Bingo by signing our Bingo Bond.
Posted March 10th, 2010
Simon Hughes, Liberal Democrat MP for North Southwark and Bermondsey, has pledged his support for the bingo industry by signing the Bingo Bond.
Posted March 10th, 2010
Philip Davies, Conservative MP for Shipley, has pledged his support for Bingo by signing a Bingo Bond.
Posted March 10th, 2010
Paul Keetch, Liberal Democrat MP for Hereford, has pledged his support for the Bingo indusrty by signing a Bingo Bond.
Posted March 10th, 2010
Mike Weir, Scottish National Party MP for Angus, has pledged his support for the Bingo industry by signing a Bingo Bond.
Posted March 10th, 2010
Linda Riordan, Labour Co-operative MP for Halifax, has pledged her support for Bingo by signing a Bingo Bond.
Posted March 10th, 2010
John Mason, Scottish National Party MP for Glasgow East, has pledged his support for Bingo by signing a Bingo Bond.
Posted March 10th, 2010
John Greenway, Conservative MP for Ryedale (seen here on the left with Paul Talboys, Chief Executive of the Bingo Association), has shown his ongoing support for Bingo by signing an amended version of the Bingo Bond.
Posted March 10th, 2010
Jim Dobbin, Labour MP for Heywood & Middleton, has pledged his support to the Bingo industry by signing a Bingo Bond.
Posted March 10th, 2010
Graham Brady, Conservative MP for Altringham and Sale West, has pledged his support for the Bingo industry by signing a Bingo Bond.
Posted March 10th, 2010
Eric Illsley, Labour MP for Barnsley Central, has pledged his ongoing support for the Bingo industry by putting pen to paper and signing a Bingo Bond.
Posted March 10th, 2010
David Amess, Conservative MP for Southend West, has pledged his support for Bingo by signing a Bingo Bond.
Posted March 10th, 2010
Christine Russell, Labour MP for the City of Chester, has pledged her support for Bingo by signing a Bingo Bond.
Posted March 10th, 2010
Stewart Hosie, Scottish National Party MP for Dundee East, has pledged his support for the Bingo industry by signing a Bingo Bond.
Posted March 10th, 2010
Siân James, Labour MP for Swansea East, has pledged her support for Bingo by signing a Bingo Bond.
Posted March 10th, 2010
Roger Godsiff, Labour MP for Birmingham Sparkbrook and Small Heath, has shown his support for Bingo by signing a Bingo Bond.
Posted March 10th, 2010
Peter Bottomley, Conservative MP for Worthing West, has pledged his support for Bingo by signing a Bingo Bond.
Posted March 10th, 2010
Paul Holmes, Liberal Democrat MP for Chesterfield, has shown his support for Bingo by signing a Bingo Bond.
Posted March 10th, 2010
Malcolm Moss, Conservative MP for Cambridgeshire North East, has pledged his support for the Bingo industry by signing a Bingo Bond.
Posted March 10th, 2010
Linda Gilroy, Labour MP for Plymouth Sutton, has pledged her support for Bingo by signing a Bingo Bond.
Posted March 10th, 2010
John Pugh, Liberal Democrat MP for Southport, has pledged his support for Bingo by signing a Bingo Bond.
Posted March 10th, 2010
John Hemming, Liberal Democrat MP for Birmingham Yardley, has pledged his support for the Bingo industry by signing a Bingo Bond.
Posted March 10th, 2010
Jim Dowd, Labour MP for Lewisham West, has shown his support for Bingo by signing a Bingo Bond.
Posted March 10th, 2010
George Howarth, Labour MP for Knowsley North and Sefton East, has pledged his support for Bingo by signing a Bingo Bond.
Posted March 10th, 2010
Dennis Skinner, Labour MP for Bolsover, has pledged his support for the Bingo Industry by signing a Bingo Bond.
Posted March 10th, 2010
Clive Betts, Labour MP for Sheffield Atterfcliffe, has shown his support for Bingo by signing the Bingo Bond.
Posted March 10th, 2010
Dr Bob Spink, Independent MP for Castle Point, has pledged his support for the industry by signing the Bingo Bond.
Posted March 10th, 2010
Angus Robertson, Leader of the Scottish National Party in Westminster and MP for Moray, has pledged his support for Bingo by signing a Bingo Bond.
Posted March 10th, 2010
Russell Brown, Labour MP for Dumfries and Galloway, has pledged to support the Bingo industry by signing a Bingo Bond.
Posted March 1st, 2010
Please click here to see Julie Morgan MP’s bingo bond
Posted February 9th, 2010
Click here to view the signed bond by Jeff Ennis MP.
Posted July 14th, 2009
Daily Star, 13th July 2009
“Furious bingo players have put a curse on Chancellor Alistair Darling…”
Read it here
Posted July 9th, 2009
To see video of the event click here or visit the Bingo Demonstration page.
Posted June 29th, 2009
BBC Radio 5 Live:
BBC Radio 4 Today:
BBC Bristol:
BBC Cumbria:
BBC Derby:
BBC Essex:
BBC Leeds:
BBC Newcastle:
BBC Norfolk:
Tay FM:
Posted June 9th, 2009
The Sun, 9th June 2009
“THE owner of MECCA BINGO claims a tax hike has made it TWICE as likely that bingo halls will go to the wall this year…”
Read it here
Posted June 4th, 2009
Harlow Star. 4th June 2009
“BINGO players in Harlow are calling on the Government to scrap its decision to raise the tax duty on the profits paid by the promoters to 22 per cent.”
Read it here
Posted June 4th, 2009
Mad.co.uk. May 28th, 2009
“Two of the UK’s biggest bingo hall operators have launched campaigns to highlight the Government’s “grossly unfair” proposed increase in bingo tax.”
Read it here
Posted June 4th, 2009
Marketing Week. 4th June, 2009
“Two of the UK’s biggest bingo hall operators have launched campaigns to highlight the Government’s “grossly unfair” proposed increase in bingo tax.”
Read it here
Posted June 4th, 2009
Times City Desk. 28th May, 2009
“Those cheeky chaps at Gala Bingo have come up with a nifty way of having a pop at the Chancellor’s shock decision to raise bingo duty…”
Read it here
Posted May 28th, 2009
View the latest press articles, including a piece on the BBC’s Politics Show.
What is the Bingo Bond?
It is not too late for the regulatory landscape to change so that bingo can flourish once more.
We are asking parliamentary candidates to sign the ‘bingo bond’ to show their support for the bingo industry and call for a fairer taxation regime.
For more information click here
Contacts
For more information contact:
- Alex Moore – 0207 618 9177
- Charles Napier – 0207 618 9132
- Oli Winton – 0207 618 9156
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