Empty seats row continues

David Cameron has spoken out about empty seats at the Olympics amid reports that some of the best seats in Tom Daley's diving competition were unoccupied.

Speaking this afternoon, the Prime Minister said: "There will always be some empty seats because you have to make some available to the teams of athletes and their officials from around the world.

"So there will always be a slight problem but I think Locog are doing everything they can to make sure that those empty seats are used where possible."

He added that Locog would make available "3,000 more tickets for sale" and would also give spare tickets to volunteers and armed services personnel.

But Mr Cameron was speaking just moments after BBC Olympics correspondent James Pearce tweeted a picture of empty seats at the diving venue, adding: "These are the best seats as Tom Daley's synchronised competition gets underway. More than half empty."

Asked this morning about the empty seats, a Number 10 spokeswoman said: "Disappointing is the word, but Locog is looking into this and they have taken action."

The Prime Minister met with senior officals from Locog this morning. The Games organising body has promised a Wimbledon-style resale of unused tickets and some tickets to be offered to schools and colleges.

"The Prime Minister is satisfied that action has been taken," said the spokeswoman.

She also suggested that sponsors were not to blame for empty seats: "These are accredited seats... for people from the Olympic family".

Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper suggested the offer to police would be a good way to make up for the fact that many officers had no leave last summer because of the riots.

She said: “LOCOG has said that accredited tickets which are not being used will be made available for military personnel, teachers and students. But I do hope they will also extend this to police officers and their families.

"Thousands of officers are working immensely hard to deliver a safe and secure games and have had no leave this summer as a result. Many of those same officers had no leave last summer because of the riots.

"Given that many officers have not had family summer holidays for two years in a row it would be great to recognise their hard work by offering them and their families some of the extra tickets too."

Former Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell said Lord Coe had the ability to face up to federations not taking up their tickets. "He’s highly respected in every part", she said.

"Now is the time when he can exercise maximum muscle in saying to these federations: ‘Look your reputation is on the line here and it’s not fair to the British many of whom have not been able to get to the Games.'"