Tories in Britain pledge money after 2012 for lasting sporting legacy - World N

BIRMINGHAM, Britain, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Britain's main opposition, the Conservative Party, pledged Tuesday that more money will go to grassroots sport after 2012 to make the London Olympics a lasting legacy.

Shadow Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt announced here at the annual Conservative Party Conference which started Sunday that the local community sport groups will get an extra 43 million pounds (77.4 million U.S. dollars) a year after the 2012 London games to ensure a lasting Olympics legacy.

"The Olympics will be one of the greatest sporting events in the history of our country. (They would be) too expensive if they are just about 17 days of sporting entertainment," said Hunt.

He promised to return the National Lottery funding to its original four pillars of sport, the arts, heritage and charities, with grassroots sport standing to receive a greater share of the 36 million pounds (64.8 million dollars) every year. An additional7 million pounds (12.6 million dollars) will come from a gross profits taxation regime, added the shadow secretary.

Some 15,000 people have gathered here in Britain's second largest city for the Conservatives' four-day annual party conference, which is widely deemed as a platform to showcase substantial policies to prepare them for winning the next general election.

The Conservative Party has been garnering an average 40 plus percent of voters' support in the last few months, leading the ruling Labour party by more than 10 percentage points.

It is also expected the party could win more support with its proposed plans to revive the country's ailing economy which has entered a grim downturn.