Shortlisted

The survival of London into the shortlist to host the 2012 Olympic Games salvages our pride, but is no reason for complacency. Among the finalists, we can claim priority over Madrid, Moscow and New York; their countries have welcomed Olympians well within living memory, and can wait. It looks as though London will duel with Paris. And, as so often, our transport links, our accommodation, our sports facilities, our value for money, perhaps even our government's Iraq policy, will let us down. So here's hoping, too, that the judges award treble points for our national tradition of supporting the underdog, where we are second to none.

The survival of London into the shortlist to host the 2012 Olympic Games salvages our pride, but is no reason for complacency. Among the finalists, we can claim priority over Madrid, Moscow and New York; their countries have welcomed Olympians well within living memory, and can wait. It looks as though London will duel with Paris. And, as so often, our transport links, our accommodation, our sports facilities, our value for money, perhaps even our government's Iraq policy, will let us down. So here's hoping, too, that the judges award treble points for our national tradition of supporting the underdog, where we are second to none.