Labour cap for Camelot

Labour would cap Camelot's pounds 1m-a-week profits from the National Lottery, but Richard Branson and his Virgin company are unlikely to win control of the lottery if Labour win the election.

The millionaire businessman is keen to win the right to take over the running of the lottery with a non-profit-making consortium from the current organisers, Camelot, which has been criticised for making excessive profits.

Labour yesterday said it remains committed to allowing a non-profit-making organisation to take over, but senior sources told The Independent that another organisation, such as Virgin, could only take over the contract from Camelot, if their costs were lower.

As wella s a cap on profits, Labour would also require Camelot to hand the pounds 6m a year interest on unclaimed prizes to the good causes. Colin Brown