'A white elephant is no sporting legacy'

3.58.11pm GMT Wed 17th Feb 2010

Dee Doocey, the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Olympics spokesperson, responding to Tessa Jowell's statement that the Olympic Stadium must remain an athletics stadium after the Olympics said:

"Tessa Jowell is just plain wrong on this issue. How dare she be so irresponsible as to rule out even considering an option for the Stadium that would provide a real sporting legacy for Londoners and avoid an expensive white elephant for taxpayers?

"There is powerful evidence that the Olympic Stadium will never be viable in the long term solely as an athletics stadium. It is time to recognise this and start to plan for realistic uses of the stadium.

"What Tessa Jowell is advocating is a double whammy for Londoners - an expensive burden for the taxpayer and no real sporting legacy."