James Purnell, MP for Stalybridge and Hyde, once described the 2012 bid as a `waste of money', adding that it was the wrong priority for London and British sport and unfair to the rest of the country.
But as Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport he has a key role in preparing for the Games, and he admits having a change of heart.
Speaking at the Manchester International festival, Mr Purnell was asked if he had changed his view. He said: "I have yes, because of the Commonwealth Games. I went to Barcelona in 1992 and saw the brilliant impact it had there and what a great games they were.
"I was standing in Trafalgar Square when we won and I'm really looking forward to the Olympics coming to Britain. It's brilliant for my department because the Olympics are obviously a huge sporting event, but it's also a showcase for Britain. We want to showcase that we are a modern, diverse and tolerant country."
He added: "Manchester will benefit as will the whole country. You talk to people who do research about what Chinese and Americans think about Britain and it is still sometimes lost in the 19th or 20th century.
"They have this idea of people in bowler hats and smoggy London. This is our chance to change that perception and I think it's going to be good for Manchester as well as London."
He went on to describe Manchester as world class for its creative arts, which he said were on show at the 18-day Manchester International Festival. He added: "The M.E.N, Channel M and The Manchester International Festival define Manchester as a world city and that's a message as a constituency MP I understand well."
The government has insisted the £9.33bn budget for the London 2012 Olympics would be worth the money. Tweet
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Yeah but what about the supercasino?
Hasn't this London based M.P. got a record for total liberalisation on such matters - so the London Dome must be pleased with his appointment?
Surprising how a leg up in the gravy train can help to change a politicians mind.
As an after thought,If just one ninth of our money spent on Blairs grandiose legacy was spent on the metro then the C-charge would not be needed.
The 'New' cabinet minister NOW thinks the olympics are a good thing! Lamentable!!!How many decades are groups and organisations that have survived on lottery funding, now going to suffer as it now subsidises this biggest of white elephants?
These games will make the millenium dome, and the new Wembley look like toys!
Im sure it will change peoples opinions of the UK. When the tube breaks down theres no transport to the game, upteen security alerts and the games wont even be ready on time as well as the escalating costs which will have no doubt bancrupted the country though Im biased I cannot see the point and will be abroad during the thing
The Olympics might be good for Britain, but I cannot agree with James Purnell that the games will showcase us as a "modern, diverse and tolerant country".
China is hosting the 2008 Olympics. If the games show China to be a modern, diverse and tolerant country it will be a lie, because China is a barbaric, totalitarian state using the Olympics as a glossy cover to hide its true nature.
So, the Chinese and Americans think we are "still sometimes lost in the 19th or 20th century"?
Better that than having no human rights, animal rights, democracy or compassion, executing innocent people and viciously suppressing criticism of government, as in China, or a country controlled by major corporations and right-wing Christian extremists, as the USA is.
It seems clear that our government admires these countries' "modern" styles - we followed the US into the Iraq war, and we are getting the same ID Cards as used in China (ours will actually be more intrusive) plus other anti-democratic control methods.
I prefer an "old-fashioned" British free, tolerant society, with civil and human rights, and the rule of law. If the government dismantles that, then the Olympics showcase will be an illusion, as it will be in China.
Asked if he had changed his view. He said: "I have yes, because of the Commonwealth Games. I went to Barcelona in 1992 and saw the brilliant impact it had there and what a great games they were.
Barcelona in the Commonweaalth, well you learn something everyday.
The Secretary of State said, "We want to showcase that we are a modern, diverse and tolerant country." He didn't mention "democratic". Probably not in Gordon Brown's plans for us.
He criticised the 2012 bid, but way long after seeing the Barcelona games in 1992, and presumably after the 2002 Commonwealth games. They've now clearly had some kind of retrospective effect on his opinions. Or is it because he's now sitting with the big boys, and towing the official line? I've said it before that I don't trust these politicians one bit. Talk about forked tongues.