Euro 2020: Nurse 'fat-shamed' on Twitter by English Tory MP in gambling row
$5,000 Welcome Bonus
A NURSE and Labour councillor has been "fat-shamed" on Twitter by an English Tory MP in a row over the free Euros tickets he received from gambling companies.
Scott Benton, who represents Blackpool South, was one of seven MPs to accept free Euro 2020 tickets worth thousands of pounds from gambling companies, according to Parliament's latest register of interests.
Benton racked up the most expenses of all the policians, totalling nearly £8000 on various hospitality offers. They were: hospitality to Royal Ascot from the Betting and Gaming Council worth £1400, a ticket to England v Czech Republic from online casino and bingo company Gamesys worth £1537.60, tickets from Entain to Wimbledon worth £1400 and to England v Denmark worth £3457.
Benton has divided locals in Blackpool with his plans to bring a super casino back to the town, with some residents concerned over the potential for gambling harm the proposal could create.
David Colldash, a nurse and Labour councillor in Blackpool, tweeted: "@ScottBentonMP gets a free ticket to the Euros from a gambling company and suddenly #Blackpool needs a new casino priceless !
"Greggs once gave me a free pasty so I’ve sold the town hall to the Great British Bake-off."
Benton replied: "More than one free pasty I suspect by the looks of it."
Colldash hit out at the Tory MP's response, saying: "When you get fat shamed by your local mp for highlighting his dodgy dealings. And in the middle of LoveIsland of all things!! Please like a retweet lets show people how nasty @ScottBentonMP is and that Blackpool deserves better."
Benton told the Lancashire News his tweet was a "light hearted" reply to someone who "frequently posts unpleasant comments" to his social media accounts.
But Colldash said this is untrue, adding: "I have never ever ever posted unpleasant comments to @ScottBentonMP. I have critiqued and criticised but have always been civil which is more I can say for Scott!"
Last week, Benton asked culture secretary John Whittingdale if he would commit to reviewing the case for a regional, or "super casino" in Blackpool.
He said: "The benefits speak for themselves. We could be looking at thousands more jobs for local people, a huge boost to the economy, and hundreds of millions of pounds being spent locally, not just in the casino but in existing businesses as well."
Blackpool was one of the areas in the Britain competing to be chosen as the site for a super casino back in 2006 but in 2007 it was announced that Manchester would host it instead.
