IT WAS such a wonderful sight to see the 42 nations of the Commonwealth coming together in a chance to showcase the best of their sporting talent.

The competition is serious, but friendly and in the spirit you would expect of a community of countries that has been through good times and bad together, and whose ties are unbreakable.

The fact that athletes have trained for years and travelled from all corners of the globe to compete shows that the countries involved treat this every bit as seriously as the Olympics.

Although the opening ceremony had Susan Boyle rather than Danny Boyle, it was great to see the jubilation and enthusiasm on the competitors’ faces, and I will be watching as much of the games as possible.

Those critics who say no one is interested in the Commonwealth anymore, or that it is outdated, have been proven wrong.

Amjad Bashir, UKIP MEP for Yorkshire and North Lincolnshire and UKIP Commonwealth spokesman.