Blair highlights Wembley's role

Mr Blair was to the fore this week as the topping-out ceremony at the new-look venue took place to signal the latest phase in the multi-million pound development.

He firmly believes that the provision of what he insists with be the greatest sports stadium in the world will give the International Olympic Committee an illustration of London's ability to stage the Olympics in eight years' time.

"We hope it will have a big impact," hesaid. "One of the things we have got to be able to do is to prove that we can deliver absolutely world-class sporting facilities

"Well, this will be the best. I think it's actually something we can show people from the Olympic committee and people coming to see whether we are a country that's really going to be capable of putting on a great Olympic Games.

"But I think it symbolises the fact that we can do this and we can do it well. Therefore, that gives the Olympic committee some confidence that all the other things we have got to do, the main Olympic stadium and so on, can be done.

"It's going to be just an amazing stadium. It will be the finest stadium in the world, the biggest stadium.
"When people thought about the idea of tearing down Wembley and building something new, people worried about it, but actually, we have a lot of faith in the future and this is going to be utterly spectacular.

"I think it symbolises our passion for sport, but also our ability to get it done.

"It's been a difficult project, there have been many ups and downs with it, but, once it's finished, it will just be a huge testament to the British commitment to sport and to football."

The government's commitment to bringing the Games to London is founded not only on the sporting kudos it would attract, but the legacy that they hope it would leave behind for a new generation of sporting stars.

"When I was in Athens for a couple of days, any doubts about whether it was worthwhile for us to get the games were just obliterated," Blair said.

"It's a fantastic thing, great for the country and, not just in financial terms, but in terms of a real lift to the country.

"One of the things we have got to do is make sure that our commitment to the Olympic Games gives us a legacy, not just for London, but for the whole of the country.

"It's absolutely essential to increase the provision for sport in our schools. We've got these specialists sports schools starting as well, with a big investment going in.

"Sport often is the best form of helping young people to grow up more responsibly. It teaches them partnership, it teaches them a team spirit, it teaches them to compete. It's a great, great thing.

"It's really important that we can make sure that, if we give the right boost to support in schools and then have a successful Olympic bid, then the legacy for this country, in sporting tearms, would be enormous - incalcuable actually - and a real benefit to the children."