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SNP attacks Olympic shortlist |
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Wednesday, 29 August 2007 |
The SNP has attacked the first major share-out of jobs for 2012 Olympic work as being London-centric and ignoring the talents of Scottish firms.
SNP Shadow Culture, Media and Sports spokesman Pete Wishart MP made the comments after the release of the shortlist of architects to undertake building work at the Olympic sites.
Of the 47 firms selected to take part in the design of the Olympic village, 32 are entirely London-based, 10 are wholly overseas-based and four are overseas firms with London practices. Only one non London-based UK firm was selected, Glenn Howells Architects of Birmingham. However Howells also has a London practice.
Wishart said the decision called into question claims that the 2012 Olympics would be for all of Britain, rather than just London:
“At the outset, those behind the London bid promised us that this would be an Olympic games which would bring the whole country together. The Olympic Village could have been a showpiece not just for the redevelopment of East London, but also for how the entire games project could bring significant benefits for all parts of the UK.
“Scotland is home to many prestigious architectural practices as well as a great deal of new up and coming talent. It beggars belief that no architectural practices, not just from Scotland but indeed from anywhere else in the UK, were considered worthy of inclusion on the final list.This bears all the hallmarks of the London-centric carve-up which the SNP predicted at outset. The organisers are proud to boast of how London 2012 will be ‘everyone’s games’, but with this display of parochial self-interest, the stated aim of making this ‘everyone’s games’ has truly fallen at the first hurdle”.
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 29 August 2007 )
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