Sir Sadiq Khan has torn into the Government’s proposals to stage the Olympics in the North of England.
The London Mayor warned that ignoring the capital’s world-class sporting facilities in a bid to host the Games would be a “missed opportunity”.
After the huge success of the London 2012 Olympics, he also argued that using the city would be key to delivering “the greenest and most sustainable Games”.
Sir Sadiq hit out as the Government started preparatory work to explore whether the North of England could host the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Ministers have commissioned an assessment by UK Sport to examine if a bid could be made to stage the international sporting event in the 2040s.
The strategic analysis will examine the costs, the socio-economic benefits to the North, and the bid’s chance of success.
If the campaign were successful, it would be the first time the sporting competition was hosted in Britain since the London 2012 Olympic Games.
Sir Keir Starmer’s crisis-hit Government is desperate to win back voters in the North and Midlands who have deserted Labour in large numbers.
Many of them have switched to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK which gained some 1,500 council seats at the May 7 local elections.
Cabinet ministers representing northern seats backed the idea of the Games being staged in the North of England.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves told how the Government was seeking to use Britain’s global reputation for sporting prowess “to breathe life into our communities” and level up the country with “a stronger and more secure economy”.
The Leeds West and Pudsey MP explained: “That’s why we’re throwing our full support behind bringing the Games back home which will boost our Northern Growth Corridor.
“It’s also why we’re backing stadium regeneration plans, like at Elland Road, to deliver new homes, business opportunities and public spaces in Leeds and beyond.”
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy highlighted how London 2012 “inspired a generation through sport, attracted huge investment and showed the best of Britain to the world”.
The Wigan MP added: “While the North of England has driven so much sporting excellence, no matter the talent we produce, the sporting moments we create, and the world-class events we attract – for too long we have been told the Olympics is simply too big and too important to be hosted in the North.
“Not any more.
“It’s time the Olympics came North and we showed what we can offer to the world.”
Sir Sadiq, who has previously criticised the Government when it has taken what was perceived to be an anti-London stance, backed the idea of another Olympics bid by Britain.
But he was scathing about deliberately excluding the capital.
A spokesperson for the Mayor of London, said: “London is the sporting capital of the world and the Mayor has openly expressed his ambition for the capital to be part of a future Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“Sadiq believes that a potential country-wide bid, using all the assets we have in the UK, including the publicly-owned London Stadium would deliver the very best possible Olympics.“
He added: “Using London’s existing world-class infrastructure would help deliver the greenest and most sustainable Games, as well as unlocking huge economic growth both here in London and around the country.
“Not including the capital in an Olympics bid would be a missed opportunity, and mean our country fails to unleash the full benefits of a UK-wide games.”
The groundwork for a potential Olympics bid comes as the Government has laid out a series of recent measures to support major sporting events.
This includes appointing Labour peer Lord McConnell ministerial adviser on soft power and major events, because of the former Scottish first minister’s experience in campaigning to take the Commonwealth Games to Glasgow in 2014.
