The Olympics and Paralympics

They are now over, so it seems like a good time to look back on them as a whole and assess what happened, and what we have learned.

1. We - Britain - are quite capable of putting on a world-class, world-beating event like this, and raising the bar significantly.

2. Clair Balding is our best sports reporter by a country mile. Actually, most of them did a fantastic job, but from what others have said as well as my own observations, Clair was head and shoulders above anyone else. She has been on TV 10 hours a day for the last 6 weeks, it seems!

3. The BBC presentation of the Olympics was exceptional. Channel 4 of the paras rather less so. Did anyone not get irritated by the constant ad breaks? Yes, I know that is how they paid for them, but there were times when they were really inappropriate.

4. The opening and closing ceremonies - in fact, for me, the first and last especially - were real examples of how to put on a huge, multi-media presentation to the world and the stadium.

5. Many thousands of games-makers were some of the stars of this summer. people will give their time and holiday to help out and make the event something special. This is the reality that David Cameron drew his "big society" idea from. However, Cameron expect people to do this all the time, and to replace services that he is withdrawing. It won't happen - people will volunteer to make a difference, but we don't like to be pushed into having to do stuff.

6. A lot of the predicted chaos in Londons transport systems never materialised. I suspect people found a way around it, although I did hear some complaints that the trains were far busier. But this doesn't excuse the fact that LOGOC prioritised some "special" people over the regular residents of London. That elitism does not go down well.

7. Having said that, I never heard of any complaints that the public transport was not working well. That in itself is an achievement.

8. We love our NHS. We are rightly proud of it. And we are rightly appalled that the government wants to destroy it.

9. Having been to the Olympic park, and watched a session in the stadium, the venues are stupendous. The stadium is an exceptional venue that we should be very proud of.

10. The British people love quality sports. The ticketing fiasco should have been organised better, knowing that the British people love sports, and would all want to go. Lets be clear, we could have packed every venue for every session. We went to see some top-class sports, and were rewarded with an excellent session of athletics.

11. British people are patriotic, but also very supporting of all quality sporting achievements. The venues roared for the British athletes, but also cheered and applauded and encouraged ALL of the athletes. Yes, we want to see the Brits win, but we mainly want to see spectacular sporting events.

12. We support and believe in our disabled people. As various people have said, the paralympics have changed our perceptions of disability, but I think these changed perceptions were already there. We are the ones who started and have continued to promote disabled sporting activity. The paralympics are, very much, a British creation. That will change from this point onwards, because they have been very decisively made a part of the global Olympic movement.

13.Against, this, David Camerons and ATOSs constant attacks on the disabled are a disgrace.

14. We have come out of a celebration summer of sporting achievement where we feel good about being ourselves. Throughout this, David Cameron and the government policies have been shown up as very much going against this. Given the choice between a summer 2012 country and a Cameron country, I know which one I would choose. Cameron has got it wrong, very wrong, and he needs to change tack.

15. A final spiritual comment. The summer Olympics - both parts - have shown how much we can achieve as people. They are a testament to the wonderful inventiveness and drive we have. People are wonderful - I believe because we are made in the image of God, but YMMV, they are wonderful anyway. I am proud to be both human and British.

ETA - because I forgot!

11.5 If you want people to provide security, then find people who have a commitment to the country, not just to making profits.The armed forces stepped in to do this without a fuss, and did a great job. G4S were only ever in it to make money. The more parts of the country infrastructure focused on making money, not providing a service, the worse off we will be. Cameron, take note. Stop trying to give away our country to profit makers.