Over half of the British public supports the nation’s hosting of the Olympics in 2012, a recent Sunday Times survey reveals. As preparations for the great event, involving 70,000 employees and 7,000 volunteers, gear up at Olympic Park in anticipation of over one million visitors, 59% say that they support the Games being hosted by Britain compared to 28% who do not.
Young people aged 18-24 years old appear to be the most enthused (65% support), while those over 60 were the most reticent (53%). Incidentally, Labour supporters were most in favour, with three quarters (75%) welcoming the sporting event to take place on British soil, compared to a smaller 56% of Conservative voters.
Those less than happy with the event may be worried about the costs. Despite most regions of the UK demonstrating overall support of the landmark event, the Scots are the least likely to be joining in the celebrations. Just 43% support Britain’s hosting of the Games (16% less than the national average), while a sizeable 70% of Scots feel that government spending on the Olympics should be scaled back in line with the cuts made in public spending, compared to 59% of the country as a whole. 31% across the whole population feel spending on the Games shouldn’t be scaled back at all.
‘Glorified school sports day’?
The Olympics 2012 have also got TellYouGov users, or ‘tyggers’ talking. While one thinks they will be ‘fantastic for British sports’, another demonstrates the debate by arguing that ‘money spent could have benefitted the population so much better’, while one uncompromisingly wrote ‘try a 100% cut! Now!’ Indeed, the cost of the Games has made many very angry, with one pillorying the event as a ‘criminal waste of public money’ and another exasperatedly tygging ‘[we have a] massive deficit yet we are paying £9bn for a sports day!’ And while one complained ‘I’m already sick of hearing about them and they’re still two years away’, another said they were ‘really looking forward to it’ and were ‘glad [the Games preparations] are going well’. Tensions may be running high but it looks like the Games won’t be leaving the leaderboard just yet.
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