Reeves urged to reject invitation to gambling lobbyist's reception

The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has been urged to cancel plans to be the guest of honour at an event hosted by a chief lobbyist of the gambling industry while the Treasury is in the midst of a review of taxes on the £12bn sector.

- Rob Davies

Reeves is due to appear at a private reception for business leaders, organised by the corporate communications firm Brunswick, at the Labour party conference.

According to an invitation seen by the Guardian, the event will be hosted by Michael Dugher, the chair of the Betting & Gaming Council (BGC), who joined Brunswick as a part-time senior adviser last year.

Dugher, a former Labour MP who stepped down during Jeremy Corbyn's stint as party leader, has since built a career as a pugnacious and sometimes controversial champion of Britain's gambling industry.

He recently told the BGC's members of his efforts to talk the Treasury out of plans to increase taxes on the sector. Firms could save billions of pounds if Reeves ignores calls to raise duties on online gambling, including from the former prime minister Gordon Brown.