The Prime Minister chose Loughborough to launch Labours' Sports Manifesto. He was in around for a couple of hours yesterday.

Loughborough is an obvious choice to launch the manifesto for a number of reasons, and for me demonstrates why people should vote Labour on Thursday. We have transformed sport and are on the way to doing even more. Let me explain.

In 1997 less than 20% of children were doing any PE in schools. We had come home with just one Gold medal from the Atlanta Olympic Games. We didn't look like winning anything anywhere. Our sports infrastructure was in decay every where you looked.

Sadly we didn't get on top if this straight away but by 2000 we were motoring. Sport got its act together and showed to government what it could deliver for the nation.

The Youth Sport Trust (based in Loughborough 170 jobs!) got the job of delivering school sport. Now running at 90% getting 2 hours quality PE and by 2012 we will be delivering 5 hours PE. Competition is back too.

2008 in Bejing saw us 4th in medal table with our biggest medal haul in a generation. That didn't happen by accident. It was because we invested in our elite athletes and gave them the best facilities in the world to train in. We also hired the best coaches. We aim to come 4th again but with a bigger medal tally in 2012. Oh yes we won 2012 for Great Britain. And we have won hosting other sporting world cups right up to 2018 - cricket, rugby League & Union as well as hundreds of other major championships. All bringing economic benefit.

In community sport there IS still along way to go. We are building capacity but it needs another decade of growth to get us all doing our bit.

To Loughborough I guess the number of jobs sports brings to the town is more than 1200 - direct. There are many more indirect benefits.

So this transformation has not happened by accident. It is because Labour has acted and invested. When people say nothing has changed remember only 1 in 5 children doign PE in 1997 and now 90% doing it now. That's change and progress. It is only when you look back you remember where we have come from and where we have got to!

The Loughborough Brand is enormous. We should embrace it and shout about it. Not whine from the sidelines in jealousy. It benefits us all - even if you hate sport.

So no wonder the Prime Minister and Olympic Minister were so impressed by the athletes, facilities and enthusiasm we bring to the table.

The excitement of the news that Team GB will be coming to Loughborough up to 2012 is palpable around town.

However, having been involved in trying to secure the team for the University for the last 2-3 years and knowing about the decision since before Christmas has been really hard to keep it in.

Indeed the 'exclusive' tag should go to Dan Martin at the Leicester Mercury who broke this story months ago. I assumed he knew more than he did and confirmed a rumour with a few more facts than I should have done at the time. I got my knuckles rapped by the BoA as they wanted to manage the story once they were ready - as do the University. Quite rightly they are the ones that have done the hard work.

But as you can imagine it is very frustrating to have been closely involved with Chris and his team on campus and inside the BoA making the case for Loughborough to be then told that because there is an election on it would be too sensitive for all concerned if I was too closely involved in the public declaration and media coverage. I don't mind in one sense - I am just happy they are coming. But is frustrating to put work into a project and an election period to exclude you from enjoying the moment! It is a strange old business.

News that Team GB will be based at Loughborough University in the build up to the 2012 Games in London obviously came as no suprise to me today as I have been working between the University and the BoA for the last few years. It is fantastic news and testimony to all the hard work put in by a few key players with vision in Loughborough over the last decade. Loughborough has become a world class sports base. As somebody who is 'sport mad' it has been the perfect compliment - a sport mad MP representing a world class sports base. I have been proud to champion the University all over the world and to work inside government to bring the necessary investment. None of this has happened by accident.

However, I am really aware that Loughborough is more than just sport. Having worked to bring the Energy Technology Institute and knowing our engineering is regarded by industry as some of the finest in the UK. There are world class leadin experts in so many fields at Loughborough. That is why it shooting up the list of best universities and why students vote it the best student experience.

But whilst Loughborough is certainly not all about sport let us not hide this fact - let us be proud that we are world renowned for something we do really well. Let us shout from the rooftops and welcome the Japanese and Team GB to the town and county.