Government to provide up to £10m for Tour
THE Government has confirmed publicly for the first time that up to £10m will be made available to help Yorkshire host the first stages of the Tour de France next summer.
Culture Secretary Maria Miller said the event would prove a “fitting part of the London 2012 legacy” – but warned organisers from Welcome to Yorkshire that they must review their existing plans and take a “more robust” approach to ensure taxpayers’ money is not spent unnecessarily.
A source close to Nick Clegg – who has been pushing for the event to win public funding –hailed a “significant” step forward after “weeks of Whitehall feet-dragging.”
“There can be no backing out now,” the source said. “The Deputy Prime Minister is absolutely delighted by the decision.”