Bingo Protestors Take Tax Fight To Westminster

Demonstrators wore masks of Alistair Darling in bingo protest outside Parliament.

A crowd of indignant bingo supporters gathered outside the Houses of Parliament yesterday (July 1st) to protest against the government's treatment of the numbers game.

Despite the baking midday sun in Westminster, about 300 people demonstrated with placards bearing slogans such as 'Gordon Brown – bingo killer' and 'hands off our balls'.

The crowd also donned masks bearing the image of chancellor Alistair Darling, who is blamed for the recent closure of several bingo halls after tax on the game was increased from 15 per cent to 22 per cent in April's Budget.

Conservative Tobias Ellwood was one of several MPs to voice support for the demonstration.

He told politics.co.uk: "These guys are coming here to be passionate, to say 'please help us', but also to underline that the general situation in bingo is very serious. They're shutting one or two [bingo halls] a week."

According to the BBC, about 70 bingo venues have closed down in the UK in recent months.

Earlier this week, Gala Bingo announced plans to consult staff over the closure of five more of its clubs.