It will be interesting to see to what extent she defends the position that the Olympics will ultimately be good for Wales especially in light of the fact that the Welsh Heritage Minister Alun Ffred Jones has recently said that the games have so far proved detrimental for Wales – with millions of pounds of lottery funding being diverted to the Olympic park and London rather than here.
What potential benefits will there be, do we think, in holding a sporting event more than 150 miles away?
Dewi Tri
Update: Tuesday 27/1/2009 p.m.
Here's what Tessa Jowell had to say
Dewi Dau
5 comments:
potential benefits? hmmm, let's see...
1) Nowt on TV for two weeks
2) Airports and ferrys jampacked
3) any tourist attraction this side of Reading will be empty.
4) An excuse to fly the Union Jack everywhere
5) erm....
nope, can't see anything beneficial to Wales, other than a medal or two (under the title "GB", so London will claim it anyhow).
can't disagree with any of that, Al Iguana.
Here's the Conservatives' reaction to Tessa Jowell's remarks today.
“These figures are a disgrace. The UK Government has finally admitted what we suspected all along – that the benefits of the London Olympics will hardly be felt outside the capital.
“Given the tiny proportion of Welsh firms winning contracts for the 2012 games, some people might argue that companies bidding for work are not competing on a level playing field.
“As the recession tightens its grip businesses across the United Kingdom should be able to share in the opportunities presented by the London Olympics.
“The impact of the 2012 games should and must be felt outside the south-east of England.
“Both the UK and Assembly governments should be doing all they can to ensure that happens.
“The evidence so far suggests they have failed and that Wales will hardly benefit from the London games.”
Shadow Heritage Minister Paul Davies AM added:
“I am very concerned by this admission by the UK Government. It also suggests the Assembly Government has failed in its efforts to involve more Welsh companies in the 2012 Olympics.
“It is now clear the Welsh economy is losing out on the benefits of the London games – not just sporting and cultural organisations in Wales.”
Dewi Dau
Difyr gweld mai dim ond £100,000 sydd wedi dod i Gymru a bod y colledion o beidio cal pres gan y loteri yn £65 miliwn. Un waith eto Cymru ar ei cholled ar drael mantais i ganran fach o'r wlad mewn un cornel o Loegr
Isn't the point though that council tax payers in London pay an extra £40 per year to fund it - and thus get most of the benefits? From The Big Left Biz Blog
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