UK MINISTER CRITICAL OF HORSE RACING DISPUTE

Jeremy Hunt lashes out at racing and bookmakers over failure to agree levy
 
The dispute over a horse racing levy contribution by British gambling companies to the horse racing industry  has attracted the ire of Secretary of State at the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, Jeremy Hunt
 
The dispute has reached stalemate with the parties involved unable to come to an agreement by the deadline of October 31, leaving the Government with the unenviable task of acting as arbitrator.
 
A clearly annoyed Hunt quoted in UK press reports as opining:
 
"It's a big disappointment that the racing and gambling industries have failed to sort this out," he said today, "but frankly the government  should never be the last resort in an essentially commercial negotiation.
 
"We have therefore announced our intention to remove the role of the Secretary of State from determining the levy scheme in future and I hope this time will be the very last one that I have to be involved."