The National Lottery is a great achievement. Our former Prime Minister Sir John Major may be much derided but it represents an important legacy for him.
There was a clear vindication of his decision with the Olympic Games last month, where we improbably came second, surely helped along by extra sport funding via the Lottery.
However, these proceeds have not always been spent so effectively.
Most notoriously, the Millennium Dome used up £630 million of Lottery cash. A look at some of the recent recipients makes for equally depressing reading.
An investigation by Heat Street has identified dozens of projects, costing many millions, which are by turns highly political, divisive, or a complete waste of time.
It is true that nobody is forced to buy a ticket. But many who play week by week – and never win anything – take consolation in the knowledge that 28% of their cash goes to “good causes”.
National Lottery literature says the cash goes “to a huge variety of projects, both big and small – from repairing Scout huts to making Olympic and Paralympic champions.”
That deliberately gives the impression that all the money goes to worthy recipients, but I’m afraid the impression is thoroughly misleading.
£1.9 billion was raised in 2015/16 for National Lottery projects. Of that, £769 million went to the Big Lottery Fund and 593 million was spent in grants. A further £385 million that went to the Heritage Lottery Fund – of which they paid out £381 million.
The rest goes on sport and the arts. The Arts Council got £269.5 million to dole out – although it only handed over £140 million in the last financial year. Much of it goes to undeniable worthy causes.
But our investigation of grant recipients also shows that a considerable sum diverted into the coffers of assorted agitprop merchants and grievance mongers.
Scrolling down some of the most recent grants we can see the following among the various categories:
The Big Lottery Fund includes an award to the Govan Law Centre of £454,780. Law Centres are recipients of Lottery largesse. Invariably they are highly politicised. The one at Govan, for example, proclaims support for the “anti-austerity” People’s Assembly Scotland.
Another £412,804 goes to a “Challenging Poverty” centre in Leicester to provide “advocacy” on welfare. I rather doubt that advocating work in preference to welfare dependency as the best route out of poverty will get much of a hearing.
Other politicised awards are more for subsidising dreary groupthink than antagonistic Leftists.
So we have “Our Environment Our Future: Empowering Young People”, which costs a hefty £33.25 million.
It’s a “forward-thinking social movement that supports young people to lead progressive change”. Its intentions include “building on the success of Friends of the Earth’s Campaign Organisers Programme” and to “work towards an accredited Certificate in Community Campaigning.”
Then there is another £4.25 million for “Fixers – A Sustainable Future”. We are assured that: “Fixers choose the issue they want to fix and, using the skills of a team of creative experts, they work out how to make sure their message is heard by the right people, whether that’s through a unique film, a leaflet or poster campaign, a website, an event or workshop.”
It has a “celebrity wall” with encouraging messages from Stephen Fry and Gabby Logan about “inspiring young people”.
But if “young people” want “their” message heard (and I would hope that the message would vary depending on each particular “young person”) why can’t they just get on and start their own website – which would cost diddly squat – and leave the £4.25 million for something worthwhile?
On to the Heritage Lottery Fund category.
There is £22,800 for “Saving the Future – ensuring the legacy of the Northamptonshire Black History Association”. Also there’s £71,500 for “Deeds Not Words Towards Liberation – 100 Years of Women’s Socio-Political Activism in Derbyshire.”
The Project Urithi: East African Heritage Project in Slough gets £27,300.
Kingston upon Thames does not miss out. There is £76,900 for “Fighting for Our Rights: Kingston’s Role in the Disability Rights Movement 1960s to 1990s.”
There is £27,000 for Chester Pride for “Pride in the Past” – which has a special endorsement from Peter Tatchell.
One irony about so much of this separatist funding – with a tranche of money for those ticking particular boxes – is that it is done in the name of “inclusion” while all the time fostering resentment and division.
To be inclusive would be, for instance, to provide a festival or exhibition about local history in Northamptonshire or Derbyshire or Slough or Kingston or Chester for everyone.
By all means include the story of people who have done something interesting or important who happen to be black, or female or gay or disabled. But their story should be part of the whole – to do otherwise is insulting to all concerned.
I look down the list and see that £10,000 goes to “The Greater London Council 1981-86: retelling a forgotten history”. Hardly necessary. This list of bizarre grant awards means Ken Livingstone’s spendthrift GLC legacy is kept all to clearly at the forefront of one’s mind.
One Voice 4 Travellers Limited is given £404,000 for “a project to provide culturally sensitive safe accommodation for Gypsy Traveller and Roma women”.
Then we have the arts grants. £2,302 for Gaggle Productions in Islington “Founded by Deborah Coughlin in 2009 as a punk feminist choir.”
£14,990 for the The Paper Birds Theatre Company in Leeds. “Devising theatre company with a political agenda… As an all-female collective The Paper Birds are only too aware of the meaning of politics in performance.”
In Wales there is £21,816 for “Mess up the mess… Awkward and brave theatre, by, for and with young people.”
Endless sums spewed forth around the country.
Yes, some worthwhile groups are also funded. It’s just that those promoting Communist revolution or vacuous, pretentious rubbish seem to have the best chance.
If you are seeking financial assistance for a scheme of genuine cultural merit for your community It Could Be You. But, as with your chances of winning the lottery, it probably won’t be.
