Sir Keir Starmer was seen wearing his own Team GB Adidas jacket as he met British athletes at the Olympics in Paris.
The navy blue coat certainly came in handy after the heavens opened during the opening ceremony last night.
The Prime Minister was pictured on Friday watching the rain-soaked ceremony with his blue hood up, uniquely held outside rather than within an enclosed stadium.
A Labour Party tweet showing a picture of the Prime Minister wearing the jacket, while his surrounding dignitaries donned ponchos, with the joke ‘preparation is the key to success’.
His jacket will have proved useful as athletes donned plastic ponchos in attempt to protect themselves from getting drenched during the flotilla of 85 boats.
Team GB athletes decided to forego raincoats and umbrellas as they beamed to fans and tried to embrace the poor weather.
Asked about the shortfall facing UK Sport, the government agency that provides funding for the British Olympic and Paralympic programme, Sir Keir told the BBC the matter was being considered.
Sir Keir Starmer wearing a Team GB Adidas jacket as he meets with British athletes. Pictured: The PM talks to British judoka Kelly Petersen Pollard
Sir Keir with British amateur boxer Delicious Orie during a training session
A Labour Party tweet showing Sir Keir at the opening ceremony captioned ‘preparation is the key to success’
The Prime Minister was seen pulling his hood up as he watched Friday night’s opening ceremony in the pouring rain
The Prime Minister visiting British athletes at a training session. Sir Keir called the delegation an ‘incredible’ team with ‘calm confidence’
Sir Keir with judoka Kelly Petersen Pollard. During the visit, the PM insisted Britain punches ‘well above our weight’ at the Olympics
The Prime Minister told reporters that the Olympics is ‘the biggest thing for me’
THUMBS UP: The PM encourages British athletes during a training session at the Olympics
He said: ‘We do need to look at that, and obviously that’s an ongoing discussion that we’re having in relation to funding.
‘But times are tough when it comes to the economy at the moment, I’m not going to pretend otherwise. But this is important, and it is an investment in the next team GB.’
He said it was ‘amazing’ to meet athletes from Team GB and insisted ‘we punch well above our weight’ at the Olympics.
He added: ‘I’ve been saying to them, look, the whole country is going to be watching you, because we will … that adds a little bit to the pressure, but they’re an incredible team of athletes going into this, and they’re full of hope, determination, but also I’ve really detected a calm confidence that they bring to what they do, which is, I think, that necessary added ingredient.’
Sir Keir told Eurosport presenter Laura Woods that he would watch any sport, which is why the Olympics is ‘the biggest thing for me’.
The Prime Minister said he met athletes including boxer Delicious Orie, which he added was ‘really special’ because his son is a fan.
Sir Keir was also forced into a last minute travel change, after arson attacks on high speed railways prevented him from arriving in Paris by Eurostar.
Sir Keir opted not to wear a poncho during the rain-soaked curtain raiser on Friday, unlike his surrounding dignitaries
The Prime Minister stands up and applauds at he watches the Olympic opening ceremony in Paris last night
The opening ceremony included the much anticipated return of French-Canadian singer Celine Dion, who sang beneath the Eiffel Tower
An aerial view of the Eiffel Tower and the Olympics Rings lightened up during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The Prime Minister instead flew to the French capital for the opening ceremony due to the disruption and delays.
Three fires were reported near the tracks on the high-speed lines of Atlantique, Nord and Est on Friday. The arson attacks were branded ‘acts of sabotage’by French prime minister Gabriel Attal.
Trains were left cancelled and delayed including those between London and Paris, as Eurostar advised passengers not to travel on its services due to the ongoing disruption.
The CEO of French national rail operator SNCF warned visitors to the Games that the impact of the attacks would be felt throughout the whole weekend.
Sir Keir watched flag-bearers Tom Daley and Helen Glover lead out the British contingent at the Olympic opening ceremony in Paris on Friday night, which was largely dampened by the poor weather.
The dismal conditions in Paris continued today, with downpours delaying tennis matches at Roland Garros and postponing skateboarding.
British athletes made the best of the bad weather on the flotilla down the Seine
The Opening Ceremony was largely plagued by bad weather, as crowds were seen reaching for brollies, ponchos and umbrellas
A horsewoman carrying the Olympic Flag down the River Seine was one of the show’s memorable moments
Emmanuel Macron waves to people in the crowd at the start of the Olympic Opening Ceremony
The show saw the anticipated return of French-Canadian pop star Celine Dion who sang beneath the Olympic rings under the Eiffel Tower.
Lady Gaga also took to the stage, as thousands lining the Seine were left searching for some shelter amid the downpours.
Aside from the dismal weather, another blunder during proceedings occurred when the Olympic flag was raised upside down by accident.
Unlike his neighbouring dignitaries, Sir Keir opted out of a protective poncho amid the downpour at the Trocadero, the end-point of a six-kilometre flotilla of athletes down the Seine.
The Games have now kicked into full gear with a Saturday programme featuring 14 medal events, and a first look at three-time Olympic champion Adam Peaty in his 100m breaststroke heat.
