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thomas davison

CHERIE won us the Games, boasts Blair: Former PM says his wife 'played a big part' in winning over IOC membersBy Tim Shipman
PUBLISHED: 00:58, 23 July 2012 | UPDATED: 11:25, 23 July 2012

Tony Blair claimed yesterday that his wife Cherie won the Olympic Games for Britain.
Former Olympic gold medallist Lord Coe, the head of the bid team, footballer David Beckham and Mr Blair were widely credited with helping to land the bid when the International Olympic Committee chose London over Paris in July 2005.
IOC members were lobbied by British sporting greats including Sir Steve Redgrave, Sir Matthew Pinsent, Jonathan Edwards, Colin Jackson and Denise Lewis and 11-time Paralympic gold medallist Dame Tanni Grey Thompson.
Cherie Blair, pictured when London was bidding for the 2012 Olympics in 2005, was a pivotal figure in the bid, according to Tony Blair
But the former Prime Minister yesterday sought to claim that 'a fuss' was unfairly made of the big names and that it was actually his wife who was crucial to winning over obscure members of the IOC.
The Blairs flew to Singapore in the week before the results were announced. But Mr Blair said Cherie, a lawyer, had put in ground work with many of the selectors.
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He told Sky News: 'It's the strangest electorate I ever had to deal with. It's about 120 people. Strangely, my wife played a very big part in this really.
'Some were the great and the good, members of royal families like our own Princess Anne and people who are very well known, and then you have the others that for various reasons worked in sports administration in their countries and they were also on the committee.

Party time: Londoners celebrate in Trafalgar Square in July 2005 after the capital city was awarded the 2012 Olympics
A collection of famous sporting names, including Sir Steve Redgrave, Denise Lewis and Bobby Charlton, all lobbied for London during the bidding process
'People tended to make a big fuss of all the big names but everyone had the same vote and my wife was very, very good at going to different countries and seeing people before the Games who were the less significant people.
'By the time we got to Singapore we knew those people, I then met them and was talking to them, all of these things helped, I think.'

Tony Blair said his wife was 'very, very good' at influencing the 'less significant people' during the bid
Mr Blair admitted that he did not think London would be successful when he decided to back the bid.
'When we started the Olympic bid frankly I didn't think we would win.

'Paris were the hot favourites and then you had very strong bids from Madrid and New York so it was a huge collective effort by everyone who was involved.'

Dame Tessa Jowell, who was Labour's Olympics minister when the bid was launched said she was told by civil servants that the country should not even enter the race.
The Shadow Olympics Minister said: 'I remember, I think it was the 2nd of August 2002, being delivered what's called a submission - a policy paper - by my officials which concluded by saying "Secretary of State we recommend you write to the Prime Minister advising against a bid for the 2012 Olympic Games.".'
A Tory MP expressed irritation at Mr Blair's comments about his wife. 'Why is it always about the Blairs? This seems like rather belated glory hunting to me.'

How did she promise to wear a bag over her head.
With luck someone will assasinate these horrible people for what they have done to our country.