Fate of the Dome splits the Cabinet.Byline: OONAGH BLACKMAN Deputy Political Editor MINISTERS are at loggerheads log·ger·head n. 1. A loggerhead turtle. 2. An iron tool consisting of a long handle with a bulbous end, used when heated to melt tar or warm liquids. 3. over whether to demolish the Millennium Dome This article is about the Millennium Dome before its redevelopment and renaming to The O2 in 2005. or leave it standing. Some of Tony Blair's closest Cabinet colleagues want the pounds 800million white elephant White Elephant Any investment that nobody wants because it is unprofitable. Notes: The term 'White Elephant' is derived from Thailand, where an Albino (white) elephant was given to unfavored people by the ruler. flattened to stop the Tories using it for election propaganda. Others, including the Prime Minister, want the Dome kept as part of a new development on the Greenwich site. A Cabinet committee is negotiating with millionaire Labour donor Robert Bourne Robert Croft Bourne (born July 15, 1888 - died August 7, 1938) was a British rower who competed in the 1912 Summer Olympics. He was the strokeman of the British boat, which won the silver medal in the eights. External links
A source close to the committee said yesterday: "There is a bit of a tug-of-war going on about whether to knock it down or not. "At least two ministers feel if it is left standing it will be ruthlessly exploited by the Tories in the run-up to the election as a symbol of Labour mismanagement mis·man·age tr.v. mis·man·aged, mis·man·ag·ing, mis·man·ag·es To manage badly or carelessly. mis·man  age·ment n. .
"They have said it has been so widely criticised already, getting rid of it completely can't make matters worse." The committee includes Dome Minister Lord Falconer, Deputy Prime Minister A Deputy Prime Minister or Vice Prime Minister is, in some countries, a government minister who can take the position of acting Prime Minister when the real Prime Minister is temporarily absent. John Prescott
Despite the millions lavished on the Dome, it does not have listed building status and could be bulldozed. Yesterday, a committee spokesman said: "In terms of the Dome being demolished that would only arise if we did not proceed with Legacy. "We are still in discussions with Legacy about their bid for the Dome and the land around it. "There have been other expressions of interest, but we have one bidder on the table at the moment." Yesterday two Labour MPs demanded the resignation of Lord Falconer in the wake of a damning report on the Dome by the National Audit Office. One, Dianne Abbott, said: "All these matters which the report refers to happened on Lord Falconer's watch." |
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