Plans for North of England Olympics bid officially backed by government

The Government has begun testing the waters to see whether the North of England could host the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Ministers have commissioned an assessment by UK Sport, which could inform a bid for the international sporting event in the 2040s.

If the campaign were successful, it would be the first time the Olympic Games were hosted in Britain since London 2012.

The strategic assessment will examine the costs, the socio-economic benefits to the North, and the bid’s chance of success.

The plans were hailed by two ministers whose constituencies are in the North: Culture Secretary and Wigan MP Lisa Nandy,

Ms Nandy said: ‘London 2012 showed what the Olympics can do for our country. It inspired a generation through sport, attracted huge investment and showed the best of Britain to the world.

‘But while the north of England has driven so much sporting excellence, no matter the talent we produce, the sporting moments we create, and the world-class events we attract, for too long we have been told the Olympics is simply too big and too important to be hosted in the North.’

She added: ‘Not any more. It’s time the Olympics came north, and we showed what we can offer to the world. I couldn’t be more pleased to announce that we’re starting the firing gun on a long overdue vote of confidence in the North.’

Ms Reeves said: ‘Britain’s sporting prowess is recognized and respected around the world. It’s something we are determined to capitalise on to breathe life into our communities and build a stronger and more secure economy.

‘That’s why we’re throwing our full support behind bringing the games back home, which will boost our Northern Growth Corridor.

‘It’s also why we’re backing stadium regeneration plans, like at Elland Road, to deliver new homes, business opportunities and public spaces in Leeds and beyond.’

The groundwork for a potential Olympics bid comes as the Government has laid out a series of recent measures to support major sporting events.

This includes appointing labor peer Lord McConnell as ministerial adviser on soft power and major events, because of the former Scottish first minister’s experience in campaigning to take the Commonwealth Games to Glasgow in 2014.

The Government has also introduced a Sporting Events Bill to Parliament, which is aimed at making it easier to bid for major sporting events.

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