Just two years ago, at the General Election, there was for the first time in living memory a Manifesto commitment to major change in British sport. Who by? The Conservative Party.

They planned big structural change - sweeping away the quangos (Sport England, UK Sport) and the regional Boards, etc.

Of course, nothing happened, because they lost, and the Labour Government under Tony Blair kept the status quo. However, ISPAL was bound to wonder what David Cameron and his new, green Tory team were planning for the snap Election we may have soon.

The answer, from this week, is nothing. At least, there was very little about our industry on the Blackpool agenda.

The key theme was “Change” and the priorities are - major tax change; doing “more for the family”; Green policy; a pensions “lifeboat”; education; managing the NHS; LAT, or “Living Apart Together”; and the “revolving door” of benefits and work.

In one short debate, about “quality of life”, the shadow Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt did echo one of ISPAL’s current campaigns, about Olympic legacy, or rather, the lack of it. He said: “We were told that 2012 was going to give a major boost to participation in sport; instead, the funds have been cut in half.”