There is confusion at the centre of government today, following new Prime Minister Gordon Brown's changes to cabinet. Specifically the confusion centres on the changes made to the Department for Culture, Media and Sport which is handling the London Olympics 2012.
Tessa Jowell was retained as Olympics minister. However, she lost her job as secretary of state for culture.
Jowell will oversee the Government Olympic Executive (GOE), the DCMS unit responsible for liaising with the games. Jowell will continue to attend Cabinet and report directly to the prime minister, but she will no longer have the seniority of a secretary of state. She will remain chair of the Olympic Board and be answerable to parliament.
Her replacement as culture secretary is James Purnell. In a further twist of the knife by Brown, that signals his displeasure with Jowell, it should be noted that Purnell was a junior minister under Jowell in 2005.
The nature of the muddled re-organisation means that Purnell, despite in theory being Jowell's boss, will have no direct influence over the Olympics.
Jowell put a brave face on her demotion, saying:
"I'm really, really pleased to be continuing as Olympics minister.
It is a cause that I am absolutely passionate about and I fundamentally believe in the power of the games to improve people's lives. There is no question that this is a confusion or a muddle.
I have long said that the Olympics needs enhanced ministerial capacity and Gordon has asked me to do that. The point of placing it in the Cabinet Office is that it reports directly to him and underlines the importance he attaches to it. In functional terms nothing has changed."
By making these changes, Brown has signalled that he does not think that Jowell was up to the Job of running the department. However, by leaving her in charge of the Olympics and appointing her junior to her old position he has ensured that the organisation of the London Olympics will be muddled, confused and lacking clarity of leadership.
In short, it is a recipe for disaster.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Thursday, June 28, 2007
Chinese Visit States
Chinese officials, as they gear themselves up for the 2008 Beijing Olympics, are taking advice from researchers in North Carolina to help combat smog and other environmental problems in Beijing.
A group of Chinese air modelers, engineers and meteorologists recently completed three weeks of training at RTI International, a research institute based at Research Triangle Park, where they learned to use state-of-the-art computer modeling to forecast air pollution.
Bob Zerbonia, project director for RTI, said:
"They have some pretty severe air pollution problems.
They have been addressing them but are still not where they want to be. The Olympics are the driving force now, but it's a long-term deal."
Environmental improvement efforts in Beijing have been hampered by the country's rapid growth, a high level of construction activity and increasing number of vehicles on the roads.
Shi Aijun, director of monitoring and pollution management for the city of Beijing, said:
"We hope the effort of this project will help Beijing produce more scientific and economically efficient pollution control strategies.
Specifically, by using this modeling system, we can finally decide which are the major emission sources."
Special measures will be implemented before the Olympics, including a 30% cut in emissions from factories, replacement of old diesel buses and taxis, and tighter emission standards for automobiles.
A group of Chinese air modelers, engineers and meteorologists recently completed three weeks of training at RTI International, a research institute based at Research Triangle Park, where they learned to use state-of-the-art computer modeling to forecast air pollution.
Bob Zerbonia, project director for RTI, said:
"They have some pretty severe air pollution problems.
They have been addressing them but are still not where they want to be. The Olympics are the driving force now, but it's a long-term deal."
Environmental improvement efforts in Beijing have been hampered by the country's rapid growth, a high level of construction activity and increasing number of vehicles on the roads.
Shi Aijun, director of monitoring and pollution management for the city of Beijing, said:
"We hope the effort of this project will help Beijing produce more scientific and economically efficient pollution control strategies.
Specifically, by using this modeling system, we can finally decide which are the major emission sources."
Special measures will be implemented before the Olympics, including a 30% cut in emissions from factories, replacement of old diesel buses and taxis, and tighter emission standards for automobiles.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Jowell To Explain Herself
Tessa Jowell, the Olympics Minister, will explain today how the government will repay the £675M that it has taken from the national lottery to cover the ever spiralling costs of the London 2012 Olympics.
A memorandum of understanding between Jowell and Ken Livingstone, the mayor of London, will explain how the money is to be clawed back from land sales from the Olympic Park at Stratford.
Under the terms of the memorandum, which will be deposited in the library of the House of Commons, Jowell and Livingstone explain that the £675m will start to be repaid after 2012; once the London Development Agency has recovered the £650M it has spent on acquiring the Olympic Park site.
There is no mention about paying interest on the money.
A week is a long time in politics, 5 years is an eternity. It is therefore highly likely that the government will renege on this agreement before then.
The national lottery will never see that money again.
A memorandum of understanding between Jowell and Ken Livingstone, the mayor of London, will explain how the money is to be clawed back from land sales from the Olympic Park at Stratford.
Under the terms of the memorandum, which will be deposited in the library of the House of Commons, Jowell and Livingstone explain that the £675m will start to be repaid after 2012; once the London Development Agency has recovered the £650M it has spent on acquiring the Olympic Park site.
There is no mention about paying interest on the money.
A week is a long time in politics, 5 years is an eternity. It is therefore highly likely that the government will renege on this agreement before then.
The national lottery will never see that money again.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Torchbearer Recruitment Drive
Beijing has launched a massive recruitment drive to hire over 21,000 Olympic torchbearers for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
The organising committee (BOCOG) plans to have 21,880 torch bearers, both home and abroad, for the 137,000km torch relay route.
Jiang Xiaoyu, executive vice president of BOCOG, said:
"There are two ways of becoming a torch bearer.
The first one is through recommendations by various organisations and institutions. Another way is an open process in which public recommendations are accepted.
In a few days, the public will know how to relay as respective organisations and institutions will announce their own application process. But none of them are allowed to add additional requirements to the existing ones."
BOCOG has set no limits on gender, career, nationality or health. Seemingly non Chinese nationals can account for up to 5% of the torch bearers on the Chinese mainland, which will have 19,400 in total.
The deadline for submitting applications is October 31st, BOCOG will make the final confirmation before December 30th.
The Beijing Olympics flame will be lit in March 2008, in Greece before starting its 130 day journey.
The organising committee (BOCOG) plans to have 21,880 torch bearers, both home and abroad, for the 137,000km torch relay route.
Jiang Xiaoyu, executive vice president of BOCOG, said:
"There are two ways of becoming a torch bearer.
The first one is through recommendations by various organisations and institutions. Another way is an open process in which public recommendations are accepted.
In a few days, the public will know how to relay as respective organisations and institutions will announce their own application process. But none of them are allowed to add additional requirements to the existing ones."
BOCOG has set no limits on gender, career, nationality or health. Seemingly non Chinese nationals can account for up to 5% of the torch bearers on the Chinese mainland, which will have 19,400 in total.
The deadline for submitting applications is October 31st, BOCOG will make the final confirmation before December 30th.
The Beijing Olympics flame will be lit in March 2008, in Greece before starting its 130 day journey.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Olympic Money Row
A row has broken out over the use of lottery money to fund the ever growing London 2012 Olympics Games budget.
The Culture, Media and Sport committee are very unhappy that lottery money is being diverted from British museums and galleries to pay for the 2012 Olympics. They have stated in a report, entitled "Caring for Our Collections", that the money should be treated as a loan and repaid.
The report also states that no more money should be drained from the Heritage Lottery Fund, or other lottery distributors, if the Olympic bill exceeds the figure set out by Tessa Jowell on March 15.
As yet, there has been no response from Jowell.
The Culture, Media and Sport committee are very unhappy that lottery money is being diverted from British museums and galleries to pay for the 2012 Olympics. They have stated in a report, entitled "Caring for Our Collections", that the money should be treated as a loan and repaid.
The report also states that no more money should be drained from the Heritage Lottery Fund, or other lottery distributors, if the Olympic bill exceeds the figure set out by Tessa Jowell on March 15.
As yet, there has been no response from Jowell.
Friday, June 22, 2007
The Cultured Olympics
The London 2012 Olympics will be hyped by a nationwide festival of culture, which will start next summer, according to Olympics organisers yesterday.
The festival will include an international Shakespeare festival, and mark the beginning of a four-year film and video project across Britain.
The festival is the first of 10 major projects to mark the Olympics. The projects are being planned in partnership with organisations such as the BBC, and the UK Film Council. The arts sector is being told how it can get involved in the celebrations.
It is somewhat ironic that arts are being used to promote the Olympics, and being told what to do, given that Lottery money intended for the arts is being diverted to fund the Olympic budget shortfall.
A tad hypocritical, wouldn't you say?
In a related announcement, there are plans for a logo to endorse sporting, community and cultural projects.
Guess who will be designing that?
Yes, that's right, the same company behind the "Lisa Simpson Gives Head" London Olympics logo!
The festival will include an international Shakespeare festival, and mark the beginning of a four-year film and video project across Britain.
The festival is the first of 10 major projects to mark the Olympics. The projects are being planned in partnership with organisations such as the BBC, and the UK Film Council. The arts sector is being told how it can get involved in the celebrations.
It is somewhat ironic that arts are being used to promote the Olympics, and being told what to do, given that Lottery money intended for the arts is being diverted to fund the Olympic budget shortfall.
A tad hypocritical, wouldn't you say?
In a related announcement, there are plans for a logo to endorse sporting, community and cultural projects.
Guess who will be designing that?
Yes, that's right, the same company behind the "Lisa Simpson Gives Head" London Olympics logo!
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Skateboarding
Further to my recent article about the possibility of skateboarding being recognised by the IOC, in time for the 2012 London Olympics, I have been advised that there is a petition opposing it being made an Olympic sport.
The petitioners state:
"Skateboarding is not a "sport" and we do not want skateboarding exploited and transformed to fit into the Olympic program. We feel that Olympic involvement will change the face of skateboarding and its individuality and freedoms forever. We feel it would not in any way support skateboarders or skateparks. We do not wish to be part of it and will not support the Olympics if skateboarding is added as an Olympic sport."
There is also, so I understand, some considerable suspicion about the motivation and impartiality of those who are pushing for recognition of skateboarding as an Olympic event.
The petition can be viewed, and signed, via this link Skateboarding petition.
The petitioners state:
"Skateboarding is not a "sport" and we do not want skateboarding exploited and transformed to fit into the Olympic program. We feel that Olympic involvement will change the face of skateboarding and its individuality and freedoms forever. We feel it would not in any way support skateboarders or skateparks. We do not wish to be part of it and will not support the Olympics if skateboarding is added as an Olympic sport."
There is also, so I understand, some considerable suspicion about the motivation and impartiality of those who are pushing for recognition of skateboarding as an Olympic event.
The petition can be viewed, and signed, via this link Skateboarding petition.
I Am Sailing
The cost of policing Olympic events in Dorset, for the 2012 Olympics, is estimated to be at least £21M.
Dorset police have submitted a request to the government to foot the bill for the security needed for the sailing events for the 2012 London Olympics.
Needless to say, there is quite a difference between asking and receiving!
Annette Brooke, Lib Dem MP for Mid-Dorset and North Poole, said:
"My greatest concern is to make sure this does come from central funds allocated for the Olympic Games and most of all that Dorset Police has the money up front.
It's going to be such a huge proportion of their overall budget."
A spokeswoman for Dorset Police said, without apparent irony:
"We can confirm a bid of £21m has been put forward to the Home Office but this has not yet been approved and we are not expecting approval anytime soon. These things take a considerable period of time."
Quite!
Dorset police have submitted a request to the government to foot the bill for the security needed for the sailing events for the 2012 London Olympics.
Needless to say, there is quite a difference between asking and receiving!
Annette Brooke, Lib Dem MP for Mid-Dorset and North Poole, said:
"My greatest concern is to make sure this does come from central funds allocated for the Olympic Games and most of all that Dorset Police has the money up front.
It's going to be such a huge proportion of their overall budget."
A spokeswoman for Dorset Police said, without apparent irony:
"We can confirm a bid of £21m has been put forward to the Home Office but this has not yet been approved and we are not expecting approval anytime soon. These things take a considerable period of time."
Quite!
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