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Brits Enraged Over Deputy Prime Ministers Stay at Casino Mogul Estate

Britain's deputy prime minister John Prescott is in hot water, coming under strong criticism from members of the British government, media and the public after it was made public that he visited the ranch of casino financier Philip Anschutz in northeastern Colorado.

It was reported that Prescott spent two days in Anschutz's 32,000-acre ranch near Greeley in July 2005. He is now facing a full investigation by the Parliament following the discovery that he has met Anschutz on six other occasions.

Anschutz is the owner of Anschutz Entertainment Group, a Los-Angeles based subsidiary of the Anschutz Corp. AEG has partnered with a company that plans to develop a hotel and casino in London but need the approval of the government to proceed with the plans. They plan to transform London's Millennium Dome into Britain's first super casino.

According to Bloomberg News, Blair's second in command was in charge of rules managing, planning and development, one of the steps that a casino would have to gain the approval of before it could push through. Prescott was removed from his position following the disclosure of an extramarital affair he engaged in with his much younger diary secretary.

The trip to Anschutz's Colorado ranch was thought of as a conflict of interest by Prescott's critics. Prescott vehemently denied the allegation, saying that he had no influence over casino licensing, a task that falls under the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and independent regulator's responsibilities.

Anschutz spokesman Jim Monaghan declined to comment on the reports.