We all win on Lottery says loser Bottomley

TORIES IN BLACKPOOL

Virginia Bottomley, Secretary of State for National Heritage, yesterday insisted: "We are all winners with the National Lottery," and brushed aside the leaking of her letter complaining that the Treasury wanted to use its funds to replace existing public spending.

In a speech to conference she finally made the well-trailed announcement that the Lottery has raised pounds 1bn for "good causes" - more than the expected pounds 750m - and she claimed that, all over the country, "it is making dreams come true".

At a news conference after her speech she said: "This is the time of year when affectionate correspondence between ministers take place." Pressed further, she said only: "I deplore leaks. I don't comment on leaks."

But she further fuelled the row about the use of Lottery funds to cut public spending by suggesting that Lottery money might be used to support "musical instruments libraries".

Another delegate, Alexis Elliott, a representative from Putney, also took up the theme. She told the conference that most people's experience of losing their Lottery stake week after week was "character building - it is part of being British".

Mrs Bottomley admitted afterwards that she had bought Lottery tickets but had not won a prize. She then repeated her insistence that "we are all winners."