Tories try to tar Brown's Olympic image

Tasha Danvers after winning bronze in the 400 metre hurdles

Thursday, 21, Aug 2008 05:20

The Conservatives have launched a sustained attack on Gordon Brown's record on athletics funding as he flies to Beijing for the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympics.

Shadow culture and sport secretary Jeremy Hunt has been drawing media attention to a 2006 promise from Mr Brown to raise £600 million for training Team GB in London's 2012 Olympics.

£100 million of that figure was due to come from the private sector but the Conservatives say government inaction has meant the funds will have to be retrieved from the Lottery fund instead, taking it away from local sports clubs.

"In January the then culture secretary categorically promised the Commons there would be no more lottery raids to pay for their Olympics budget miscalculations," Mr Hunt said.

"Six months later that promise has been torn up. Every time the lottery is raided, less money goes into grassroots sport, yet this is the only way we will secure a legacy for everyone from the 2012 Olympics."

But government sources say higher than expected Lottery license receipts are accounting for £21 million of the funding, with the rest coming from a new 'Medal Hopes' programme announced by culture and sports secretary Andy Burnham in Beijing earlier this week.

Medal Hopes is a dedicated sponsorship scheme whereby companies can officially associate with Team GB and local athletes in exchange for funding.

"Funding for our athletes in Athens was primarily Lottery money, in Beijing both Lottery and Exchequer," Mr Burnham said.

"For London the package will be Lottery, Exchequer and business.

"Following our successes in Beijing, we have great ambitions for our athletes in 2012, and are determined to make sure that investment is in place," he added.

The government is also reprioritising Exchequer funding for UK Sport while the sponsorship scheme is rolled out. The money will then be paid back to the Exchequer after it is raised from the private sector.

The Labour party is keen to link Team GB's Olympic success with Mr Brown's £600 million initiative in 2006, but the Tories say any money taken from Lottery funds at this stage takes it away from the local sports clubs who will create tomorrow's athletes.

"Can Gordon Brown not see there is something fundamentally short-sighted in funding the British team by raiding the money going to local and community sports clubs?" Mr Hunt continued.

"If the government had started raising this money earlier, our athletes could have had the funding certainty they need without raiding grassroots sports."

Mr Brown is flying out to Beijing today to attend the closing ceremony of the Olympics after a three week holiday. He is bringing his children and wife with him.

Critics of China's human rights record had berated the prime minister for planning to attend, but those voices have now been all-but drowned out by euphoria over Team GB's success.

The prime minister made a surprise visit to Afghanistan on his way to China, meeting with the country's president and talking to British troops stationed there.