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news
Nick Clegg (picture credit David Spender, Wikimedia Commons).jpgNick Clegg puts political clout behind Tour de Yorkshire
Nick Clegg is to put his political clout behind securing government funding for the grand depart of the Tour de France in Yorkshire next year.
Gary Verity, chief executive of tourism body Welcome to Yorkshire, has been invited by the Deputy Prime Minister to speak at a Cabinet meeting next week to explain to ministers why the cash is needed.
The total cost of staging the event, including the leg between Cambridge and London, is estimated at around £10m.
Unlike the rival Scottish bid for the event, which was backed financially by UK Sport and British Cycling, the Yorkshire bid was entirely funded by local councils and Welcome to Yorkshire.
Leeds City Council is thought to have made the biggest financial contribution so far with councils covering North Yorkshire, Bradford, Kirklees and York promising funds.
Sources close to Nick Clegg told the Yorkshire Post: “Nick thinks the Tour de France is fantastic news for the region and the whole country, and that the Government has to be absolutely supportive of it.
“As a Sheffield MP it is obviously very close to home for him, and he will be fighting in Government to get the financial support that’s needed.
“Gary Verity has been invited to address the whole Cabinet next week, and Nick will be banging the drum for the cause around the Cabinet table.
“There is obviously a debate to be had about the level of support required, and everyone knows that money is tight.
“There is no guarantee we will be successful but it’s fair to say we are quietly confident.
“We want to make sure this is the best Grand Départ there has ever been.”
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14 comments
'Andy are you someone who thought the same about the Olympics but reveled in the results of them?! '
no. HTH.
If the govt become involved we will all have to pay to watch it then get taxed on top of that.
It's Cleggs way of winning votes by trying to jump on the cycling bandwagon - useless piece of crap that he is.
Gary Varity should NOT have to go cap in hand to London after all they spent bloody hundreds of millions on the Olympics so whats 10mill to bring the greatest road race to our shores ?
Wow, with all of Clegg's political clout behind them, perhaps they'll secure a party popper for the Grand Depart.
That almost sounds as though you aren't behind the eminently sensible decision to charge tuition fees. I must be wrong though, nobody would think like that, unless you read the Daily Mail.
I was all for the Tour coming to Yorkshire. But now, if that crypto-fascist backs it, I'm not so sure. And, as far as funding goes, I'm surprised he hasn't proposed requiring the riders to take out loans to pay for it. After all, they are the ones whose careers will potentially be enhanced by their participation. Why should the honest recreational cyclist fund these spoilt pros, who don't get up until mid-morning, do a few hours of work, grumble about how hard it is, then go back to bed.
Far be it from me to disagree with Nick Clegg, but Yorkshire wanted it....Yorkshire can pay for it.
Andy are you someone who thought the same about the Olympics but reveled in the results of them?! Yes we did want it, but we aren't the only ones benefiting, London and Cambridgeshire are too, but they don't feel they have to put money in?!
Personally I am most disappointed in UK Sport and British Cycling. Why, when their favourite child bid didnt win, didnt they just switch their financial backing to the Yorkshire bid, and say "Well done for bringing the biggest cycle race to the UK for the first time in 7 years, and bringing it North of Watford Gap!"
£10m is a p1ss in the ocean compared to the £10 BILLION of the Olympics. I don't see what peoples problem is. Im sure all those moaning will happily go and watch it!
Is Plymouth benefitting? Or Dundee? Or Birmingham? No. So why should their taxpayers subsidise the areas that will. And at the risk of repeating myself, if the TdF is such a big money spinner, why does it need a subsidy from the public purse in the first place. Why don't Yorkshire seek investment from the private sector?
So as people who won't benefit from it, I take it you have no interest in it and won't watch it?
Leeds didn't benefit from the Olympics, but a share of my taxes went into the running of them, and when you consider what we as a nation gained from them, I am PLEASED it was done so. We are talking 0.11% of the total required for the Olympics, less than £1 per person of tax paying age in the UK. Is it really that big a deal to you?!
The TdF aren't going to pay for the road improvements, staffing etc that is needed to stage this great event.
Im sure this is the attitude all French people have when a very minor percentage of their taxes go towards the cost of running the TdF.
Typical British "NOT IN MY BACK YARD" attitude! Where is your support of your country for securing the biggest race in our beloved sport?!
I think the attitudes of some of you are quite disappointing.
We were told that the TdF would BRING money to Yorkshire. My question remains. Why does a profitable enterprise need a subsidy?
In which case maybe only people from Yorkshire should be allowed to watch it ?
sfmichele you are quite welcome to come and join us in Yorkshire to watch it
The last sentence leaves me with mixed feelings. Lots of flash and show for no real reason? Or is big and flashy the thing to get people to spend money?