Victory for Boris Johnson would raise important questions about the 2012 London Olympics.

For a start, it would put Tessa Jowell, the Olympics Minister and Ken Livingstone’s campaign co-ordinator, in a politically exposed position as the only Labour member of the Olympic Board, which monitors progress on the project.

She will be outnumbered by Conservatives in the absence of Ken Livingstone. The other two board members are Lord Moynihan and Lord Coe, both Tories. The board’s finely balanced, cooperative mood, which insiders said had worked against the odds, could give way to tension, given Ms Jowell’s role in Mr Livingstone’s reelection campaign.

Her gibes at Mr Johnson, whose first name she deemed a swear word punishable by a £5 fine in the Labour war room, did not go down well in his camp. Mr Johnson and Ms Jowell will be required to rotate the duty of chairing the monthly board meetings.

Lord Coe says that the change of personnel will not make a difference to the project. “We have to deliver, whatever the political structure,” he said. “There is always political neutrality from me. Over the years, there could be any number of political changes.” Mr Johnson and his team have spent a couple of hours with the Games organisers, including John Armitt, the chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority, and David Higgins, its chief executive.

The first official meeting to discuss keeping 2012 preparations on track is due to be held next week.

According to Mr Johnson’s election manifesto, he will focus on three key areas regarding the Olympics: budget, legacy and security. Some critics worry that he will be obsessed with funding issues – to ensure the bill to the taxpayer does not exceed £9.3 billion – to the detriment of the legacy of the Games. In particular, there are doubts that he will share the same passion for the regeneration of East London as Mr Livingstone, who recently admitted that he “ensnared” ministers into backing the bid to ensure a multi-billion pound investment into one of the most socially and economically deprived areas of Britain.

“You cannot grow up with money all around you, go to Eton on a scholarship and attend Oxford and understand what people in deprived areas are going through,” one London Assembly member said.

The first international test of his office is the closing ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games on August 24. Tradition dictates that the mayor of the host city hands over the Olympic flag to the mayor of the next host city.

For Mr Johnson, the only more important figure in British politics in the stadium will be Gordon Brown, who may shudder as the Olympics are handed metaphorically to a prominent member of the Conservative Party.

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