The Mail on Sunday has apologised to Olympics minister Tessa Jowell for a story headlined: “Storm over Tessa Jowell’s Olympics ‘bribes’ promise”.

The page two apology, printed yesterday, read: “Further to our article of April 26, we have been asked to make clear that Tessa Jowell never said the selection of Georgia Gould as candidate for Erith and Thamesmead would lead to money from the 2012 Olympic Games becoming available to the area.

“Ms Jowell said that the Olympics would benefit the constituency and that Ms Gould was the right person, as MP, to maximise such benefits. She did not offer money as a ‘bribe’ if Ms Gould was selected and denies any impropriety. We apologise to Ms Jowell.”