Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026
Debate between Stephanie Peacock and Zubir Ahmed(2 days, 14 hours ago)
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Stephanie Peacock
Of course I join my hon. Friend in condemning the appalling violence, and my heart goes out to all those involved. We must stand against this across the House.
Sport unites us all. It transcends boundaries, fosters camaraderie and instils the values of fairness, respect and perseverance. It is a mirror on our society, reflecting our strength and, at times, our challenges.
Dr Ahmed
To develop the point made by my dear hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow East (John Grady), I have been worshipping at Glasgow central mosque since it opened in 1984, and it is timely to remind hon. Members that the mosque was at the epicentre of the last Commonwealth games in Glasgow. As hon. Members will appreciate, a number of athletes were coming from Muslim-majority Commonwealth countries, and it was Ramadan at the time. The mosque became an epicentre for many athletes; it was where they first and foremost found the community of Glasgow. I am also shocked to hear that last night the mosque had to be closed, but I am deeply confident that, in the course of the games, the people of Glasgow will show themselves to be the welcoming, diverse community that they have always been and always will be. Does the Minister agree that the people do make Glasgow?
Stephanie Peacock
I do agree, and I share my hon. Friend’s shock. I am shocked and appalled. The Government’s stance remains unequivocal: racism has absolutely no place in our society, and it has no place in our sport either.
Let me turn to the issue of accessibility. I recognise and understand the disappointment that many will feel regarding Commonwealth Sport’s decision not to partner with a free-to-air broadcaster for live coverage of the games. TNT Sports has partnered with one of our public service broadcasters, Channel 5, to ensure that the highlights of the games will be available on free-to-air television. The deal provides the opportunity for a wider audience to enjoy moments that matter in the games, but I have heard the points made regarding the BBC. I am sure that the BBC will have heard the points made by the shadow Minister and others, which I will relay to the Media Minister, my right hon. Friend the Member for Edinburgh South (Ian Murray). Ultimately, all sports rights holders and UK broadcasters are operationally and editorially independent of Government.
Glasgow 2026 will be an opportunity for all of us to celebrate the unique power that live sport has to bring us together and will deliver a real impact. Once again, Glasgow and the nation are on the biggest stage, and the city’s MPs have demonstrated the power of their city today. I congratulate Phil Batty, George Black and all the organisers who are working tirelessly to ensure that Glasgow is a success that showcases the very best of sport and brings about a new era for the Commonwealth games. I look forward to a brilliant event and a bright future for the games movement. I thank and pay tribute to the athletes, coaches, volunteers, organisers and everyone else who makes it possible.