TONY BLAIR spoke about his gambling problem for the first time in the Commons yesterday. It was most revealing.

The Prime Minister is an adroit, if not obsessive, player of political poker, but lately there have been rumours that he is in the grip of an overwhelming addiction to gambling on controversial legislation. Close friends fear that he does not understand the extent of his problem and have urged him to seek professional help.

Yesterday’s performance will only fuel their fears. Mr Blair has long been a lover of controversy. His battle over Clause Four, for instance, was a triumph. But those days of moderation are long gone and friends have grown increasingly worried over recent years.

The tipping point is thought to have been the Iraq war vote. Since then he has insisted on fighting his own MPs on most things, most notably foundation hospitals and tuition fees.

This was not enough, though. If anything, his demands for more controversial legislation, which he disguises under the heading of “modernisation”, have become even more insistent. Concerns grew further when Mr Blair began to spend more and more time with fellow addict Alan Milburn. Hopes that the Hunting Bill would satisfy proved futile.

Mr Blair feels powerless on this and so, for him, the thrill is gone. The Gambling Bill has rather snuck up on Mr Blair. It has been around for years in the form of a report, White Paper and draft Bill. Until last week, he had not thought it controversial in any way. When he realised that many Labour MPs hated it, he knew instinctively what he must do. He called a snap press conference to say that he fully supported the Bill.

Yesterday, he got his reward when David Winnick took him to task. Mr Winnick is a Labour MP who follows his own mind.

He is 71, wears too much brown and speaks in a tremulous voice. He was pro-war and is anti-hunting and, as such, could be seen as something of a weather-vane. Yesterday, Mr Winnick asked Mr Blair to think again over the Gambling Bill. “Instead of trying to encourage further gambling and debt, wouldn’t it be far more sensible to reduce these problems? The last thing we want is a casino-type society,” he said.

I am not sure what that is, other than it must involve dancing girls in feathery headdresses. But it spurred Mr Blair into overdrive. He spoke in a great rush and was ultra-defensive.

He said both more and less than was required in various ways and employed two of his most treasured cloaking devices. Apparently the Gambling Bill is not about gambling at all. It is about new rules to control it. Almost the entire Bill is devoted to imposing these restrictions and will protect children who have never been protected like this before. Mr Blair did admit that the Bill may result in a small number of new casinos. Except he doesn’t call them that any more. Yesterday he christened them casino leisure complexes or, for short, leisure complexes. This made it sound as if these new places will be devoted to waterslides, swimming pools and palm trees. It is wholesome fun and nothing to do with the Mob.

So, to summarise. The Gambling Bill is a highly moral document that is all about saving children from evil people and stopping reprehensible practices. It also allows for some very tasteful leisure complexes, almost completely devoted to fitness and beauty treatments. They will employ thousands and bring in millions of pounds. I paraphrase, but I thought you would like to know. I fear Mr Blair will have to start going to Gambling Bill Anonymous very soon, indeed.

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