Birmingham Commonwealth Games Bill [HL] — House of Lords, 2019-06-25
Topic: Mixed Topics
Peter Snape (Labour, Centre-left): My Lords, I join noble Lords on both sides of the Chamber in welcoming the Bill and I congratulate the Minister on the comprehensive way in which he introduced it I have been a resident and ratepayer of the city of Birmingham for more than 40 years, although noble Lords will notice that I have not yet managed to acquire the correct accent. When I get off the train, either at Birmingham International or, in particular, at Birmingham New Street, I am always struck by the changes that have taken place in the city during that period. I first went to Birmingham as a railwayman in the 1960s. I have to say, I thought that it was a pretty depressing place. It was obviously built around the motor car, which was seen as king at that time. By and large, pedestrians in the city centre spent their time scurrying through underpasses in an attempt to get from A to B. As a stranger to city, it was a pretty baffling place. People tell me that it still is; motorists who drive to the city now tell me that it is difficult to find their way round. The transformation that has taken place in Birmingham over the 40 years I have lived there has been enormous I know that 40 million people visit Birmingham each year, more than a million of whom are international visitors. Again, 30 or 40 years ago, if someone had said that people would come from abroad to visit Birmingham, people would have regarded such a thing as laughable. Recently, I read in one of the Sunday Times colour supplements that the nightlife in Birmingham is considered among the best in Europe. Alas, that comes 30 or 40 years too late, but imagine what it could have been like in the 1970s and 1980s if the city had merited such a description back in those days. According to the 2011 census, the city has 187 nationalities and 6% of its residents are Commonwealth citizens. The fact that it is such a diverse city these days indicates the support behind the concept of the 2022 Commonwealth Games I was interested in the comments of the noble Lord, Lord Coe, about the press, cynicism and how newspapers habitually report these matters. He has been around in politics and the media for quite a while, so he knows how these things are done. Someone writes an article in praise of a project, and the editor tells some journalist to find somebody to write an article against it; that is how newspapers are sold. I always love the word "fury" in newspapers. One of the local newspapers in the West Midlands described "fury" at the projected cost of the Commonwealth Games. To a newspaper editor, "fury" means you ring up someone who falls in line with the story already written—and it is a nice, short word that always fits well across a column. These things are not really to be taken seriously, I am afraid. The fact is that this Bill has been widely welcomed in the city by all age groups and most residents I would like to strike just one discordant note. The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport is responsible for nominating three non-executive directors to the Commonwealth Games board. It has appointed Ellie Simmonds and Lyndsey Jackson; I will come to the third in a minute. I have no criticism of the first two. Ellie Simmonds was rightly awarded an honour for her contribution to sport. I understand that Lyndsey Jackson played a major role in the Edinburgh Fringe, so presumably has been nominated because of her expertise in these matters. But the third is none other than Mr Nick Timothy. I would like to know what the Minister thinks are the qualifications that merited the appointment of Nick Timothy as a non-executive director of the organising committee of the 2022 Games. I remind noble Lords that it was said that he and his partner at No. 10 Downing Street, Fiona Hill, were responsible for the 2017 election campaign. If he is going to repeat that example of expertise at the Commonwealth Games, no one will turn up at all This Government in particular are adept at what I call "jobs for the boys". I have no doubt that someone said to Jeremy Wright, the Minister at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, "We need a non-executive director with some tenuous connection to Birmingham". He would know where Birmingham was, because he represents Rugby; I would not say that of all Ministers in the present Government. Presumably it was then said, "Well, Nick Timothy lives in Birmingham. What’s he doing since the Conservative Party insisted that he and his partner in crime were ejected from No. 10 Downing Street following the 2017 election? Oh, Minister, he’s writing for the Telegraph and the Sun". Presumably that qualifies him to be inflicted on Birmingham and to be a non-executive director of the Commonwealth Games in 2022. I want to know seriously from the Minister what qualifications Mr Nick Timothy has in order to be inflicted on our city, and what expertise he thinks Mr Timothy will bring as a non-executive director I have to say, in closing on this subject, that it is not envy that makes me says this. During the first Blair Government, I was approached by a Cabinet Minister who asked if I would be interested in a non-executive public-sector position in the West Midlands. It was not an area in which I had taken much interest or had any expertise; I thanked him for the approach but declined it. As far as these matters are concerned, Mr Timothy obviously has more self-confidence than me The Games will take place from 27 July to 7 August 2022. Of course, it will be the biggest ever sporting event held in the city: thousands of world-class athletes, a million or so spectators, an estimated TV audience of 1.5 billion and a showcase not just of Birmingham and the West Midlands but of this country as a whole. We should be justifiably proud of such an event and I congratulate the city council on its expertly picking up the baton so sadly dropped by Durban for the 2022 Games My noble friend Lord Rooker mentioned the benefits to transport. I had the honour for 27 years to represent the West Bromwich East constituency, in the borough of Sandwell. The aquatic centre that is to be built in Smethwick will be a great addition to that borough’s facilities and I know it will be appreciated and well used Like every other speaker, I welcome the Bill. I hope the Games will be the success that is projected, and I honestly believe that will be the case. I again congratulate the city council and the Games organising committee for going ahead in the face of criticism, much of which was unjustified. I look forward to a successful Games—I hope to be around to see them—in 2022.