Civil Service Live

'Feel inspired' about 2012, Jowell tells civil servants

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Olympic minister Tessa Jowell urged delegates at Civil Service Live to embrace the “once in a lifetime opportunity“ offered by the 2012 Olympics to change the lives of millions of people across the country.

The minister was joined on stage by Britain's 2012 table tennis hopeful Darius Knight and former ITV boss Charles Allen, who has been charged with developing the Olympics' strategy for the nations and regions.

Jowell warned delegates that hostile media coverage of the Olympics had been predictable and said international scrutiny of Britain would increase in the aftermath of this summer's games in Beijing.

“Things will change dramatically after the Beijing games, because we will be the host city for the 2012 games - we will be subject to infinitely greater scrutiny in just the way China is now,“ she said.

Jowell acknowledged that global campaign movements would use the London games as an opportunity and said protestors “will be equally pressing on us as with the whole controversy about China's role in Tibet so we've got to be prepared for that“.

But she said the original decision to bid had meant stepping out of the “comfort zone“ and the risk of being “beaten up by the press on a daily basis“.

Allen told of his experience of negative press coverage and criticism in the run-up to the 2002 Commonwealth games, of which he was he was chairman.

“For four years we were criticised in the Commonwealth games, with people saying it would be a disaster and on day two everyone said how wonderful it was and how they'd always said it be would be successful – I predict that's what will happen here,“ he said.

After listing the five promises for the Olympic legacy, which include the regeneration of east London and the broader strategy to engage all citizens in sport and community, Jowell told delegates to “feel inspired“ by the Olympics both in their personal and professional lives.

“I hope that the motivational power of the Olympics – which is sort of unique really – will just inspire all of us to be the very best we can, to find ourselves dong things because of that Olympic impulse that we would never otherwise have.“

Allen said public servants had a role to play as outward facing representatives of the public sector, able to bring issues of concern and ideas to the games' organisers.

“There's a big role for all of the people in this room to play and that is to be an ambassador,“ he said.

“If there's a problem and there are problems you're facing in your departments then bring them to us.

“But when you're facing outwards then there's a big opportunity to be an ambassador, to counter criticism because we are going to get it.“