60 years ago, in the economically-depressed aftermath of WW2, Britain successfuly staged an “austerity Olympics” – pared-down, efficient, organised and even profitable, it was widely considered a momentous success. In today’s Guardian, Simon Jenkins persuasively argues for another austerity Olympics in 2012 – the times call for it, he says. And it’s hard to disagree.
Even if you think Darling’s spend-our-way-out-of-trouble approach is the right way forward, there remains the question of what all that public cash should be spent on. There’s something deeply irresponsible about “pour[ing] crazy sums of money – £9.3bn – into two weeks of sport”. Particularly when that £9.3 billion budget is particularly – and unnecessarily – swollen anyway. There’s plenty of room for cost-cutting, as Jenkins argues:
“The world’s greatest white elephant, the “sustainable” £500m athletics stadium, should be stopped now. It will stand empty after the games since nobody wants it.
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