Mayor of London Boris Johnson has hit back at Olympic minister Tessa Jowell for saying Britain would not have bid for the Olympics had it been in a recession.

According to the BBC, Johnson said: "There is never a bad time to stage a spectacular event like the Olympics and Paralympic Games, and in the current economic climate, I believe London is extremely fortunate to be hosting the games. "The case for the games - if anything - is stronger in difficult times, and I believe that the development underway in the east end will prove a vital shot in the arm for the city when it needs it most."

Johnson was responding to Jowell's speech at the pre-BISL conference dinner on Tuesday night, made in front of 40 senior leisure industry executives. In her speech she said: "Had we known what we know now" – about the economy –"would we have bid for the Olympics? Almost certainly not." Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of BISL, said: "Tessa Jowell's comment must be understood in context; she was talking about the wider economic benefits of the Olympics. Public money is being invested into the Olympics because private sector funding is no longer available. However the money is being invested into the facilities to run the Games and costs are being cut by building temporary facilities like the media centre.

"If the government isn't careful this will not allow for a legacy. The government needs to make sure that investment continues for facilities to be used after the Games to ensure a legacy in the facilities; something which is more difficult now we are in a recession. "BISL have operators which want to be involved in operating the Olympic facilities, but the government are miles behind the tendering process."