Tessa the Penny Pincher

Tessa Jowell must have been beside herself with delirious joy yesterday. Not because Great Britain’s athletes had another golden day, but because the International Olympic Committee served her a gilt-edged opportunity to pose as a mistress of frugality.

Alex Gilardy’s comment that, in his opinion, the £9.4bn London 2012 budget should be doubled was rebutted by a stern-looking Jowell, who defiantly proclaimed that "the budget can not be exceeded because there is no more money”.

Bravo, Tessa. However, her determined stance against grandiose spending of taxpayer money would sound a little more convincing if the current budget was not almost three times greater than the original £2.4bn quoted for London’s bid – a figure that was described at the time as carefully worked out and rigorously checked. But why let the facts get in the way of some opportune political posturing?

That the IOC is pining for a budget to be doubled when it is already three times above that originally presented to them is laughable. Jowell’s impression of Prudence is even more jocular. But the fact that no money can be found out of this hefty pot (the second largest in Olympic history) to provide additional funding for our athletes is no laughing matter. Their record breaking performances are what have driven the popularity of Beijing 2008 in the UK, and is what will ultimately determine whether Britons get fully behind the games in 2012. I am sure I’m not alone in believing my taxes would be better spent on furthering our gold medal chances than on fireworks and dance troupes for the opening ceremony.