Hoey's Olympic blast

Former Sports Minister Kate Hoey today sparked controversy when she claimed London did not deserve to host the Olympics.

Vauxhall MP Ms Hoey, who was sports minister 1999-2001, makes her comments in a BBC 2 sports debate tonight. She tells Fighting Talk: "The most inevitable thing over the next six months will be the hype about London's Olympic bid and how we are going to win it by miles.

"The inevitability is that Paris is going to win. Long term we should go for the Olympic Games sometime, but I don't think we're ready - I don't think we deserve it."

Bookmakers now place London second behind the French capital, with Madrid, New York and Moscow also competing. The International Olympic Committee will decide next July on the host city.

Asked by host Johnny Vaughan to be clear on her view of London's prospects in the five-horse race, Ms Hoey said: "I don't think it's going to happen."

She compared the Olympic bid to previous UK attempts to host the World Cup and criticised the ?30 million of public funds being spent bidding.

She added: "I think the Olympics should be the icing on the cake of a wonderful sporting festival in the country. We don't have that yet."

BBC insiders said Ms Hoey continued her attack off-camera, claiming that Paris had more swimming pools that the whole of the UK.

This is the second time in recent weeks that the London bid has been hit by criticism. Kelly Sotherton, Britain's leading heptathlete, has also said London is not the best venue.