APPG for Racing and Bloodstock – New Year Drinks Reception

On Monday 13th January 2024, the recently re-formed APPG for Racing and Bloodstock held its New Year drinks reception at the House of Commons, hosted by Co-Chair Dan Carden MP and sponsored by the BHA, the Jockey Club, Arena Racing Company and the Racecourse Association.  

The reception was compèred by broadcaster Nick Luck and attended by more than 25 cross-party parliamentarians from both the Commons and the Lords as well as senior representatives from racing and betting.

Gambling Minister Baroness Twycross gave a speech where she said: “British racing plays a crucial role as part of this country’s sporting culture and heritage,” as well as being “a major asset to this country, both domestically but also internationally.”

She stressed that she and the Government “want to see racing continue to thrive.” 

The Minister urged the racing and betting industries to work together to promote British racing to new audiences, saying “it’s really important that the betting and racing industries continue joint work, such as on a growth fund for the longevity of the sport.

This is quite simply the quickest way to get increased funding flowing back into racing.”  

She also recognised concerns about the existing financial checks conducted by operators on bettors, saying that “financial risk checks need to be and can be proportionate,” adding that she believes a system of “frictionless, near instantaneous checks” is possible. 

In his speech BHA Chair Joe Saumarez Smith spoke about the vital role that racing plays in Britain not just as the country’s second-most watched sport but also a crucial cultural and economic asset.  

He said: “British racing is more than just a sport. It is a cultural asset, one of our great soft power levers, with races including the Derby, Royal Ascot, Glorious Goodwood and the Grand National revered and envied around the world.

“Secretary of State Lisa Nandy was right when she described Britain’s cultural assets – including sport – as “lights on the hill. 

“And racing is surely one of the brightest of those lights.” 

But he made clear that the sport faces significant financial headwinds, outlining how the sport has been hit hard in recent years by the regime of affordability checks conducted by betting operators.

Almost two years after the previous government published its White Paper on gambling, he said that “it is hard not to feel that repeated warnings from racing have not been taken seriously enough or the views of punters properly considered.” 

With racing and betting unable to reach a mutually agreeable resolution on Levy negotiations, he stated that “now is the time for the Government to take decisive action to reform the Levy and ensure that British racing can continue to be a world-leading industry.” 

He ended his speech by calling on the Government to cherish British racing for all the good it can do for Britain, having set out the enormous economic and social contribution that the sport makes.  

All Speeches Transcript – 13.01.25

Dan Carden MP spoke about the wider role racecourses play in their local communities and how help “bring people from all walks of life together in all four corners of the nation.”

He was also clear that the Racing and Bloodstock APPG has a key role to play in promoting the interests of British Racing both in Parliament and with the Government, and set out the APPG’s intention to work closely with the BHA and the sport’s stakeholders over the course of the Parliament to both overcome the challenges and exploit the opportunities presented.

As part of this, he repeated calls for the Government to support British Racing on Levy reform and affordability checks. 

Since the General Election, the BHA Corporate Affairs team has been actively working with the APPG to highlight the key policy challenges facing the sport and to grow support in Parliament for horseracing.

To date, a total of 30 MPs and Peers have joined the re-formed APPG with many of these being MPs newly elected in 2024, from a range of parties. 

This is part of a broader programme of political engagement and policy work that the BHA is undertaking and you can read more about recent activity here.