Prime Minister Andy Burnham has thanked Glasgow after the city “stepped up to save the Commonwealth Games” when the future of the event looked in doubt.
The Prime Minister wished athletes from the England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland “good luck” for the contest.
He spoke after watching the opening ceremony for the sporting contest at Glasgow’s Hydro venue on Thursday night.
The Games had originally been due to take place in the state of Victoria, Australia, but concerns over rising costs saw organisers pull out, with Glasgow agreeing to host the event less than two years ago, in September 2024.
With no public money used to put on the tournament, a slimmed down event will see athletes compete in 10 sports across four venues in the city.
Mr Burnham said: “In 2024, the great city of Glasgow stepped up to save the Commonwealth Games. My thanks go to everyone who made that possible.”
He added: “From my time as mayor of Greater Manchester, I know the joy live sport can bring to a place.
“Glaswegians are good fun and will be the warmest hosts to athletes and fans coming from 74 Commonwealth countries.
“To the teams from all four home nations: good luck, and I’ll be watching.”
Referring to the Scottish runner who recently set a new world record, he added: “I’m a keen runner but I don’t fancy my chances against Josh Kerr’s one-mile world record.”
But the Prime Minister also stressed the importance of sport to communities across the UK.
Mr Burnham said: “We’re a country mad about sport, so let’s have more of it, in every part of the UK.
“It inspires people, builds stronger communities, and gives us all a bit more hope for the future – which is what I’m all about.”
