Blair (pictured below, left), who was Prime Minister when London won the bid for the Games, played a leading role in securing the Olympics and Paralympics by flying to Singapore on the eve of the 2012 bid decision to help persuade International Olympic Committee (IOC) members to vote for London.

Tessa Jowell, the former Culture Secretary and current Shadow Minister for the Olympics, also played a leading role in helping London win the bid as they held off Paris in the final round of voting.

She was also crucial in the first phase of planning to host the Games before Labour were voted out of power in 2010 and replaced by Cameron's Coalition Government.

"There's a lot to be proud of when it comes to these Olympic and Paralympic Games," said the Prime Minister (pictured above) in a special speech on London 2012 at the High Performance Athletics Centre on Loughborough University Campus.

"The bidding team and the last Government did a great job winning them for Britain and a great job getting them off the ground.

"The Government I lead picked up the baton and kept up the pace.

"Think back to that moment in 2005 when we all cheered the success of London's bid.

"There was immense pride but also real anxiety.

"Would they be worth it?


"Would the venues be completed on time?

"Would the public really get on board?

"And most of all would the Games bring the whole nation together – and not just be a festival for London?

"I'm not saying there aren't big challenges to meet in the remaining days.

"After all, I look out of my window every morning and see the beach volleyball arena being built.

"But predominantly the answer to all those questions is a resounding 'yes'.

"The Olympic Park (pictured below) is ready and looks stunning.

"No Games before has ever prepared for the future like this.

"Thanks to the work of two Governments, the Games organisers and the Mayor, of the eight major venues six have operators ready for after the Games and the other two will follow this year."

Cameron also predicted that London 2012 will raise around £13 billion ($20 billion/€16 billion) for the UK economy.

In addition, he used his speech to discuss school sport and he wants to see it develop further as a result of the Games.


"Sport can change lives," he said.

"So why is it that in so many schools sport has been squeezed out and facilities run down?

"The result is that independent schools produce more than their fair share of medal winners and too many children think taking part in sport just isn't for them.

"We've got to change that.

"So we're putting £1 billion ($1.5 billion/€1.2 billion) into youth sport, including a massive expansion of after-school clubs for children who don't think sport is for them.

"Already, we've got 3,000 secondary and 4,500 primary clubs underway.

"I want to see 13,500 by 2015.

"It's fantastic that more than 14,000 schools signed up to the Olympic-style School Games programme in its first year and that 1,600 of our best young athletes took part in the inaugural School Games finals at the Olympic Park a couple of months ago.

"I want to see that competition grow, to become a fixture in the lives of young people in this country."

One of the senior figures in attendance for the Prime Minister's speech was Baroness Sue Campbell, the chair of the Youth Sport Trust, who welcomed his comments on school sport.

"I'm pleased that the Prime Minister is focussing on the legacy of London 2012," she said.

"London's original bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games was based on a promise to inspire a generation of young people to choose sport.

"It was great to hear him speak about the importance of school sport in achieving this legacy."

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