John Healey is to announce a £7m fund to examine a potential future bid to host the Olympics in northern England in his first budget as chancellor.
The fund will be used to carry out a full feasibility study for a northern Games, which, if successful, would be held in the north of England in the 2040s.
In May, before Andy Burnham entered No 10, the government commissioned an assessment by UK Sport which could inform a bid for the international sporting event in the 2040s. If the campaign were successful, it would be the first time the Olympic Games and Paralympics were hosted in Britain since London 2012.
There was further momentum behind the idea in June when mayors from across the north of England met in Sheffield to discuss the possibility of a northern Olympic bid.
More than 40 Olympians, Paralympians and elite athletes, including Laura Kenny, Jason Kenny, Sarah Storey, Beth Tweddle and Tom Pidcock, have signed a joint statement “to express our strong and united support” for the idea to hold a “box office Games” in the north of England.
Announcing the fund, Burnham said an Olympics bid would “unlock opportunity across our towns and cities” and that “we can put on the greatest show on Earth”.
He continued: “Few things bring a country together quite like the Olympics. I want people to feel that sense of excitement again, and to experience it in their own towns and communities, not just watch it on the telly.
“The Games would unlock opportunity across our towns and cities for the whole country. From north to south, it would be something everyone could get behind and be proud of.
“We know we can put on the greatest show on earth. Now we want to explore how we can do it again, with the whole country behind it.”
The full feasibility study will look in greater detail at how the Games would work in practice, including types of venues and transport links needed and the prospects of developing a winning bid. It will also look into how much it could cost and examine the chances of a bid succeeding.
The work will involve the government, UK Sport, the northern mayors and the British Olympic and Paralympic Associations, who would ultimately be responsible for a bid.
Healey said: “The north hosting an event as big as this would be truly unforgettable.
“Britain’s experience of London 2012 is proof we can host the world. I’m picking up the pace on our work to potentially bid for these prestigious Games.
“It will lift communities, create opportunities and give the UK a huge boost.”
The British Olympic Association, ParalympicsGB and UK Sport released a joint statement welcoming the news.
“Building on the success and legacy of London 2012, we look forward to working in partnership to explore this exciting opportunity and the benefits it could deliver for the nation, and for the global Olympic and Paralympic movements,” they said.
Sydney, Tokyo and London are among the mega-cities that have played host to the Olympics in recent years but Brisbane, Australia’s third-largest city, will be hosting the 2032 Games.
The Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has previously criticised plans to explore a bid to host the Olympics in northern England, saying that excluding London would be a “missed opportunity”.
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