Post by Teddy Bear on Aug 7, 2008 22:15:11 GMT
While the following article also covers the number of politicians and police in addition to BBC staff who will attend the Olympics at a cost of £7 million paid for out of public funds.
Each of their reasoning to justify this expense is absurd. Especially for the Labour party, since current opinion polls indicate that they won't even be in power in 2012, partly because of the way these politicians feel free to waste public money on useless schemes or to line their own pockets. In any event there are experts who can advise them on how best to run the 2012 London Olympics that could cost far less than what they are spending on this jaunt.
Each of their reasoning to justify this expense is absurd. Especially for the Labour party, since current opinion polls indicate that they won't even be in power in 2012, partly because of the way these politicians feel free to waste public money on useless schemes or to line their own pockets. In any event there are experts who can advise them on how best to run the 2012 London Olympics that could cost far less than what they are spending on this jaunt.
Beijing Olympics: Britain sends twice as many public workers as athletes
Britain's Olympic squad will be outnumbered two to one in Beijing by politicians, civil servants and BBC staff whose trips to China will cost the public almost £7 million, the Daily Telegraph can disclose.
By Gordon Rayner, Sarah Knapton and Jon Swaine
Last Updated: 4:28PM BST 07 Aug 2008
The sheer number of public sector workers flying to Beijing has already led to a series of questions from opposition MPs in parliament Photo: GETTY
Whilst Team GB comprises 313 athletes, more than 600 publicly-funded workers will be attending the Games, including government ministers, press officers, local councillors and policemen
Many of them have important roles in organising the London 2012 Olympics, but critics have suggested that for some the trips may be little more than "a jolly".
In 2004, just seven public servants attended the Athens Olympics, including the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair. In contrast, Gordon Brown is expected to travel to Beijing with 20 staff, at a cost of £114,000, whilst the Department of Culture, Media and Sport will send 13 people and other government departments another 11.
Ironically, the government ministers and officials may not play any part in the 2012 Olympics, as opinion polls suggest Labour will have been voted out of office by then.
The Conservatives, who are favourites to be in power when the London Olympics are staged, are sending just two people to the Games, paid for out of party funds.
The sheer number of public sector workers flying to Beijing has already led to a series of questions from opposition MPs in parliament, but the full extent of the burden on public funds has only now emerged.
The taxpayer is also footing the £240,000 bill for 39 Metropolitan Police staff to go on a fact-finding tour in Beijing, while Dorset Police will send four people to find out how to police the 2012 sailing event and Greenwich council, which will help host the gymnastics in 2012 in the O2 Arena, is sending six officials at a cost of £14,000.
Don Foster, the Liberal Democrat spokesman on culture, media and sport, said: "I'm simply staggered by the amount of money being spent by public bodies sending their staff to the Games for questionable reasons and benefits.
"The Olympics are always an incredible spectacle but that does not give people the right to waste taxpayers' money. "Anyone who does use public funds to go on this type of trip must be held to account and made to justify exactly what they managed to achieve during their attendance in Beijing."
Hugh Robertson, the Shadow Sports Minister, said: "Clearly this is the only opportunity to see a summer Olympics in action before London 2012 but the Beijing games are bound to be very different from our own. It is therefore vital that the Government exercises restraint about how many people need to attend so this does not turn into a jolly at the taxpayers' expense."
By far the biggest British contingent at the Games will be the BBC, which has sent 437 staff at a cost to the licence payer of £3 million. The record number is 33 more than the corporation sent to Athens, but a spokesman pointed out that because of the seven-hour time difference the BBC would be broadcasting 2,750 hours of coverage, including extensive highlights packages, compared with 1,250 hours in 2004.
The London Development Agency, whose remit is to attract investment to the capital, has spent £3m to hire out a private members' club in Beijing for the duration of the Games. New London Mayor Boris Johnson considered axeing the venue altogether after being horrified at the original £4.6m budget.
The public bodies which are sending workers to the Games said it was vital that staff had the opportunity to observe the Games close up so they could do the best possible job in 2012.
A Downing Street spokesman said the Prime Minister's staff had "worked hard to ensure that the appropriate number of staff accompany him" while the Metropolitan Police said the Games were an "exceptional opportunity" for its staff to gain insight into planning security at such a large scale event.
Britain's Olympic squad will be outnumbered two to one in Beijing by politicians, civil servants and BBC staff whose trips to China will cost the public almost £7 million, the Daily Telegraph can disclose.
By Gordon Rayner, Sarah Knapton and Jon Swaine
Last Updated: 4:28PM BST 07 Aug 2008
The sheer number of public sector workers flying to Beijing has already led to a series of questions from opposition MPs in parliament Photo: GETTY
Whilst Team GB comprises 313 athletes, more than 600 publicly-funded workers will be attending the Games, including government ministers, press officers, local councillors and policemen
Many of them have important roles in organising the London 2012 Olympics, but critics have suggested that for some the trips may be little more than "a jolly".
In 2004, just seven public servants attended the Athens Olympics, including the then Prime Minister, Tony Blair. In contrast, Gordon Brown is expected to travel to Beijing with 20 staff, at a cost of £114,000, whilst the Department of Culture, Media and Sport will send 13 people and other government departments another 11.
Ironically, the government ministers and officials may not play any part in the 2012 Olympics, as opinion polls suggest Labour will have been voted out of office by then.
The Conservatives, who are favourites to be in power when the London Olympics are staged, are sending just two people to the Games, paid for out of party funds.
The sheer number of public sector workers flying to Beijing has already led to a series of questions from opposition MPs in parliament, but the full extent of the burden on public funds has only now emerged.
The taxpayer is also footing the £240,000 bill for 39 Metropolitan Police staff to go on a fact-finding tour in Beijing, while Dorset Police will send four people to find out how to police the 2012 sailing event and Greenwich council, which will help host the gymnastics in 2012 in the O2 Arena, is sending six officials at a cost of £14,000.
Don Foster, the Liberal Democrat spokesman on culture, media and sport, said: "I'm simply staggered by the amount of money being spent by public bodies sending their staff to the Games for questionable reasons and benefits.
"The Olympics are always an incredible spectacle but that does not give people the right to waste taxpayers' money. "Anyone who does use public funds to go on this type of trip must be held to account and made to justify exactly what they managed to achieve during their attendance in Beijing."
Hugh Robertson, the Shadow Sports Minister, said: "Clearly this is the only opportunity to see a summer Olympics in action before London 2012 but the Beijing games are bound to be very different from our own. It is therefore vital that the Government exercises restraint about how many people need to attend so this does not turn into a jolly at the taxpayers' expense."
By far the biggest British contingent at the Games will be the BBC, which has sent 437 staff at a cost to the licence payer of £3 million. The record number is 33 more than the corporation sent to Athens, but a spokesman pointed out that because of the seven-hour time difference the BBC would be broadcasting 2,750 hours of coverage, including extensive highlights packages, compared with 1,250 hours in 2004.
The London Development Agency, whose remit is to attract investment to the capital, has spent £3m to hire out a private members' club in Beijing for the duration of the Games. New London Mayor Boris Johnson considered axeing the venue altogether after being horrified at the original £4.6m budget.
The public bodies which are sending workers to the Games said it was vital that staff had the opportunity to observe the Games close up so they could do the best possible job in 2012.
A Downing Street spokesman said the Prime Minister's staff had "worked hard to ensure that the appropriate number of staff accompany him" while the Metropolitan Police said the Games were an "exceptional opportunity" for its staff to gain insight into planning security at such a large scale event.