Stephen Purcell renewed his attack on the SNP administration’s proposal to cut the £440m rail link from next year’s Holyrood budget during a visit to the site of the 2012 London Olympics.

“My worry is that the cancellation of this project will undermine the credibility or trust of future bids that Scotland makes when it gives a guarantee to an international organisation,” said Mr Purcell after inspecting the building site in Stratford, which will have the “Javelin” six minute highspeed rail link to central London.

He added: “I’m relieved that the Commonwealth Games Federation has said that the cancellation of the Glasgow airport rail link will not hamper the Games themselves, but of course it was a very important guarantee that we gave as part of our bid to host the event.”

Mr Purcell joined Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy and 400m runner Lee McConnell to check progress on the Olympic site and highlight the benefits of the project for Scotland.

Mr Murphy said it was “disappointing” that visitors to the Commonwealth Games would not have the same transport links but promised that the London Olympics would be inspirational for young Scots and a great tourism opportunity for the nation.

“Within five years the east end of London and Glasgow, two parts of two great cities that have had big knocks, will be transformed.

“We will make a lifetime’s progress in just a couple of years,” he said.

Some 34 Scottish businesses have won 37 contracts form the London Games. “It’s important that the Scottish public realise that this is a British Games,

and that the opportunities are not limited to London,” said Lee McConnell, Scotland’s European and Commonwealth medallist runner who hopes to compete in the stadium she was viewing yesterday.

“The fact that Scottish companies are being seen to win contracts will give confidence to others to bid and that they can win business too.”

Labour’s bitterness over the Glasgow rail link decision spilled over into Scottish Questions in the Commons when Jim Sheridan, whose Paisley and Renfrewshire North constituency would have been the rail hub, accused the SNP of “punishing” Glasgow because Labour MSPs had overturned the decision of the SNP Government on the Edinburgh tram system.

When Mr Sheridan rose to ask Mr Murphay to raise the rail link issue with First Minister Alex Salmond, he was barracked from the opposition benches by Angus Robertson MP, the SNP Westminster leader, about the Edinburgh trams project.

“I couldn’t believe how Angus Robertson was gesticulating and shouting,” said Mr Sheridan afterwards.

“He was implying it is okay to punish Glasgow because of Edinburgh’s trams.

“He is trying to cause splits and divisions between Scottish cities to distract from the SNP cancelling the airport trains and the 1000 jobs that go with it.”