Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026

[Derek Twigg in the Chair]

[Relevant document: Oral evidence taken before the Scottish Affairs Committee on 20 October 2025, on Glasgow’s Commonwealth Games 2026, Session 2024-26, HC 1308.]

[Derek Twigg in the Chair]

I beg to move,

That this House has considered Government support for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2026.

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship, Mr Twigg. Today marks 43 days until Glasgow hosts the 23rd Commonwealth games. The games will happen from 23 July to 2 August, and the city will welcome about 3,000 athletes from 74 nations and territories across the Commonwealth, who will compete in 10 sports and six para sports. The event offers a fantastic opportunity for Glasgow to host world-class athletes from across the Commonwealth, competing at the highest level, showcasing Scotland on an international stage and providing an exciting cultural and economic opportunity for the city.

Glasgow will become only the third city in history to host the games twice, following its success in 2014. This is a source of great pride for our city, but as hon. Members will be aware, Glasgow was not intended to be the host city in 2026. When the Australian state of Victoria withdrew from hosting the games, Glasgow, with support from the UK and Scottish Governments, stepped in to ensure that the games took place, which for a time was in doubt.

In doing so, there was recognition that these games must be different. The idea needed to be refreshed to ensure a more sustainable model—reducing cost while continuing to highlight and benefit host cities, give our athletes the chance to compete at the highest level, and inspire people across the Commonwealth to take part in sport or be more physically active. For those of us who live in what we might call the devolved nations, the Commonwealth games are the only opportunity that our athletes have to wear the vest of their nation at a world-class event in sport.

The new model for Glasgow 2026 is not funded through the normal methods. The delivery of the games themselves does not really require public funding, but it is welcome that the UK Government have made available £2.3 million as a contingency towards security costs. The Glasgow 2026 “Story of Change” framework provides a way to take a new and innovative approach to the games, focusing on four key areas. First, it seeks to deliver a greener games, demonstrating that major events such as these can reduce waste and carbon emissions. As part of that approach, these games are making use of the legacy of the 2014 games by using four pre-existing venues to host events. We have Tollcross International Swimming Centre, the Scottish Event Campus, the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome and the Glasgow International Arena, and of course Scotstoun Stadium in my constituency of Glasgow West.

Secondly, Glasgow 2026 will ensure that the games are inclusive and offer opportunities for participation, representation and engagement. With 47 para sport events, Glasgow 2026 will be the largest integrated para sport programme in Commonwealth games history. Moreover, the first medal of the games will be awarded in para powerlifting, making this the first time that a para sport event has opened the medal tally at a Commonwealth games.

My hon. Friend is making an excellent speech and has contributed so much to the Commonwealth games during her time as a Minister and councillor, and now as a Member of Parliament. She will know that for close to 20 years we have had a Scottish Government who have decimated local government revenue and capital budgets. That has had a significant impact on the fabric of many of our sports facilities and on our wider sports provision. Does she agree that a critical legacy from the games must be a Scottish Government who actually take grassroots sport seriously and support the next generation of athletes?

I could not agree with my hon. Friend more. In fact, one of my bugbears over the years has been that it is far too easy for cash-strapped local authorities to cut back on sport and culture, because they are not part of the statutory services that everyone expects them to deliver. The Scottish Government need to realise that if they are ambitious for Scotland, they need to be ambitious for Scotland’s people. Part of that means making us all more physically active, and to achieve that we need facilities, so I thank my hon. Friend for that important intervention.

I recognise that local residents and businesses in my constituency, particularly those near to Scotstoun stadium, will have concerns about possible disruption, which is often associated with large sporting events. I am pleased that the Glasgow 2026 organising body has been engaging with community councils and local residents to understand such concerns, and to seek to minimise disruption as far as possible.

Parking is an issue in the area, so I was pleased to hear that an events permit zone will be in operation, alongside other measures such as defined drop-off and pick-up locations, and the ringfencing of ride-share locations. I am also glad that the organisers have been clear that communications with spectators will provide guidance on local public transport routes and encourage spectators to use them as an alternative to driving to venues.

Furthermore, I encourage residents and businesses in Glasgow West to attend the two “Get Set” hubs in the constituency, in the Annexe Healthy Living Centre on 12 June and at the Heart of Scotstoun on 18 June. These hubs, organised by Glasgow 2026, will allow communities to learn about the games and their local impact, and allow people to ask questions or raise concerns.

There is so much to welcome about these games that it feels a little churlish to mention some of the areas where I feel that things could have been done a little bit better. Those who know Glasgow will appreciate that George Square is the centre point of our city.

Does my hon. Friend share my disappointment that when we raised the issue of George Square at the Scottish Affairs Committee, the organisers of the games had not thought about the problems that the closure of the square would cause for people attending the games?

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. For the period of the games, George Square will be fenced off and will be a building site; indeed, it has been for some time now. It is the place where Glaswegians traditionally gather to celebrate events—it was where we celebrated London 2012 and Glasgow 2014—so it is disappointing that it will continue to be fenced off until a few weeks after the games have concluded. It seems to me that, with a little bit of extra thought and planning, visitors to our city could have enjoyed George Square in the way that traditionally we always have done. That is a matter of some regret.

My other disappointment is that no terrestrial broadcaster has taken up the opportunity to broadcast the games. They will instead be shown by TNT Sports.

As I said, I do not want to dwell on the negatives. Glasgow 2026 will award 215 gold medals. Visitors, athletes and officials will be supported by 3,000 volunteers, who will be called Glasgow Legends. When I was a volunteer in 2014, they were called Clyde-siders; but whatever they are called, they will make new friends, learn new skills and have an exciting time along the way.

Credit must go to the organising committee, Commonwealth Games Scotland, Glasgow Life and Glasgow City Council, as well as all the sporting organisations involved in delivering this year’s games. Glasgow 2014 was hugely successful, and Glasgow 2026 will have the distinction of heralding in a new version of the games— slimmed down, yes, but just as vibrant, exciting and motivational as the 2022 games.

I am grateful to my hon. Friend for giving way on the point about inspiration and aspiration. I hope that some of that comes a little south of the border and inspires residents in Carlisle. In areas such as mine, which are a long way from large infrastructure facilities to support sports, grassroots inspiration is key. Does my hon. Friend agree that these games offer an opportunity to inspire the hopes and dreams of people not just in Glasgow and Scotland, but in communities like mine in Carlisle?

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. One of the wonderful things about the Commonwealth is that it reaches out, and the Commonwealth Games Council and Commonwealth Games Federation have always been good at doing that. The games will be important for Carlisle and Glasgow—maybe the answer is to twin our two cities. As one of the closest cities to Carlisle, Glasgow does have something to offer in that regard. It may not always have been the case historically that people in Carlisle have welcomed people from Scotland coming across the border, but we can leave all that in the past, as we look to the future to ensure that we learn lessons and take that forward.

Although these games will be slimmed down, they will be vibrant, exciting and motivational, just like all the games before them. I hope that everyone involved—visitors, athletes, spectators, family members, Glaswegians, and people from Carlisle or anywhere else in the country—has a wonderful time in Glasgow. I hope, too, that the model for these games might inspire places like Carlisle to consider taking on games, perhaps in conjunction with other local authorities, because this version is much more affordable and will hopefully ensure that sustainability that we all hope for.

It is a real pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Twigg. I thank the hon. Member for Glasgow West (Patricia Ferguson) for bringing this issue to our attention. It is also a pleasure to see the Minister in her place. I am confident she will respond in a positive way, giving the encouragement the hon. Lady needs. I do not doubt for a second that that is her nature. It is also a pleasure to see the shadow Minister in his place. He has a deep interest in all things to do with sport, so that is more encouragement for the hon. Lady. I also see the Lib Dem spokesperson in place, who has been a dear friend for many years.

Why does it mean so much to me, as the MP for Strangford, to see Glasgow host these games? We can see the potential that the hon. Lady referred to in her last couple of sentences. Also, I am keen on speak on this because of the strong historical links between Glasgow and our capital of Belfast. The hon. Lady’s colleagues are here in some numbers—I am not sure that there are any Scottish MPs left in the Chamber; they are nearly all here, as they should be, to support her. I say in all honesty and sincerity that I much enjoy the friendship of my Scottish colleagues—my Gaelic cousins. I do that for a number of reasons. I am descended from the Stewarts of the lowlands in Scotland, so the Gaelic blood they have in their systems is the same as I have in mine. Of course, we are only a short distance from each other—I would say just a stone’s throw; you would need strong arms, but it is not too far away. In our blood we have the Scottish traits, cultures and interests. We have the pipes, but maybe not the dancing—if anybody ever saw me dancing, it would be scary. We also have the thriftiness that the Scots have. They certainly gave it to me, because we look after our money in a very kind and powerful way.

The Glasgow Commonwealth games take place in just over six weeks, with the games this year focused on innovation. The hon. Member for Glasgow West set the scene incredibly well. I want to highlight a unique opportunity. The hon. Member for Carlisle (Ms Minns) suggested that Carlisle is close, but I tell her what: we are closer. I say that honestly. We have a chance to strengthen co-operation between Glasgow and Belfast and maximise the benefits for the wider UK economy. Belfast is strategically placed to be a support location for the games due to the transport and economic links between the two cities.

It is a pleasure to serve under your chairship, Mr Twigg. I thank my hon. Friend the Member for Glasgow West (Patricia Ferguson) for securing this debate. A wonderful servant of the people of Glasgow, she is the embodiment of Glaswegian and Scottish values of public service that are shared across our family of nations.

As a Glasgow MP I welcome the Government’s support for bringing the games to Glasgow and the cross-party support for the games in the House, in Holyrood and in the city council chambers. I welcome all the work that has been done to bring the games to Glasgow. My constituency of Glasgow East is at the centre of the Commonwealth games 2026, together with Glasgow West. Its venues include the Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome, Glasgow International Arena and the Tollcross International Swimming Centre. The games in 2014 were a great success and our games this year will be too because my home, Glasgow, is a city of warmth and hospitality. A friend is someone anywhere in Glasgow and a stranger is a friend yet to be made.

My hon. Friend makes an excellent point: Glasgow has always been known as a friendly city. Does he agree that volunteers play a fantastic role in welcoming visitors to the city for our sporting events, such as the Commonwealth games and the 2023 UCI cycling world championships?

I could not agree more with my hon. Friend. The number of volunteers speaks eloquently to the generosity of spirit in Glasgow, across Scotland and across our family of nations. We are excited to welcome great sportspeople. I look forward to the return of a great Australian swimmer, Lakeisha Patterson, who is one of the world’s most decorated para swimmers. Some of her most notable swims took place at Tollcross: she made her international debut there when she was just 15, winning bronze, and she won gold at the world championships in Glasgow in 2015.

My constituency has long been a centre of sporting excellence. Sir Kenny Dalglish comes from Dalmarnock in my constituency. I think every hon. Member in the Chamber sends him our best wishes. [Hon. Members: “Hear, hear!”] Sir Kenny was a brilliant footballer who could sign Peter Beardsley, Ray Houghton, John Barnes and John Aldridge, then come on as a substitute and show them exactly how the game should be played. For his courage in the face of the terror of Hillsborough and all that he did, with courage, dignity and love, for the Hillsborough families, Sir Kenny is admired greatly as one of Glasgow’s finest sons and, I believe, one of Liverpool’s finest adopted sons.

One of our most notable clubs in Glasgow is Shettleston Harriers. On the doors I meet many enthusiasts for that wonderful club, founded in 1904. One of its most famous athletes is Lachie Stewart, who won the 10,000 metres gold in the 1970 Edinburgh commonwealth games. The club does wonderful work with young people in my area.

I want Scotland to do brilliantly in the games—of course I do. I wish every member of Team Scotland the best of luck. I cannot mention each team member—I might get into trouble—but I make special mention of Evi Mackie, who is in the swimming squad and trains at Lanark amateur swimming club. I am glad to speak of such a talented sportsperson because her Member of Parliament, my hon. Friend the Member for Hamilton and Clyde Valley (Imogen Walker), is a Government Whip and by tradition cannot speak in this place.