Jowell vows to prove she is fit for purpose

Olympics minister Tessa Jowell is to have her own athletic skills tested.

Ms Jowell has signed up for a three-month fitness programme with 11 other female MPs in a bid to inspire more working women to exercise.

They include Liberal Democrat health spokeswoman Sandra Gidley and Foreign Office minister Meg Munn. The initiative was devised by the Women's Sport and Fitness Foundation, which warns that four in five women are not doing enough physical activity to benefit their health.

Juggling the demands of motherhood and work is the main barrier, says the charity. The MPs aim to show that even women in power can find time to exercise - even if this means doing press ups in their office.

Sue Tibballs, chief executive of the foundation, said: "Women who make [physical] activity integral to their lives report higher levels of confidence and self-esteem."

In past interviews Ms Jowell has revealed she does Pilates, uses weights and an exercise bike, and rises at 6am to work out three times a week "next to North London taxi drivers".