Jowell (pictured top, left) served as Culture Secretary for six years in the last Labour Government and is widely credited with getting the support of her Government and then Prime Minister Tony Blair for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic bid at a time when there was little backing for the idea.

She then played a major role in helping the London 2012 bid secure an unlikely victory in Singapore in 2005 and after helping set the stage for the Games, she continued to support the project in opposition as the Shadow Olympics Minister, a post she resigned from following the conclusion of the Games.

Coe (pictured top, right), a Tory peer and Olympic legacy ambassador to Prime Minister David Cameron, said the Games could not have been delivered without the "cross-party support" of Labour but reserved special thanks for Jowell.

"Tessa, I am not going to spare your blushes for a moment," Coe said directly to the 65-year-old MP for Dulwich and West Norwood as he took to the stage.

"You know we couldn't have got this across the line without you.

"You've been our longest and truest friend we have had.

"In 2010 (when Jowell's Labour Party was ousted from Government) you stayed on board (as Shadow Olympics Minister).

"You wanted to make sure that you played your part right up to the Closing Ceremony and that's what's distinguished this project.

"It's going to be very important as we go for the legacy because that has to be looked at in a consensual way as well."

Sebastian Coe (left) and Tessa Jowell (right) have been two of the most important figures in delivering London 2012 from the outset of the project

Jowell, who also remains on the London 2012 board and served as Deputy Mayor of the Olympic Village, echoed Coe's call for cross-party working to ensure sport provision at every level as she issued a veiled rebuke to the Coalition Government.

"When we won the right to host the Games we made a promise," said Jowell.

"That the 2012 Games would inspire a generation.

"Until the election this was happening in schools across our country.

"The dismantling of this world-class organisation for sport in our schools is beyond belief.

"So in order that we keep our promise I have invited the Government to work beyond party to develop the facilities, coaching and curriculum space so that we keep our Olympic promise to young people across our country.

"Building the next generation of Olympic champions starts with that – a plan for sport at every level, showing the young people of our country that when we said we would inspire a generation, that we meant it."

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