THE new logo for the London Olympics has drawn a cool reaction from Kent MPs.

The logo has been a mixed verdict, with some suggesting it resembles the logo used by the children’s television series from the 1970s "Tiswas".

Sittingbourne and Sheppey MP Derek Wyatt, the chairman of the all-party London 2012 Olympics group, said the design was "brave" but that it did not represent the best of the design talent in the country.

Mr Wyatt said he would have preferred the logo used during the London bid for the 2012 games to have been adapted.

"It will bed down and I suppose we will get used to it but I thought the bid logo, showing the five colours of the Olympic rings and the Thames, was very good and I thought that could have been developed.

"To me, it looks much more like a Japanese or Korean design. On reflection, it might have been better to have a competition if that is what you get for £400,000 [the fee paid to the designers]."

Meanwhile, shadow Conservative sports minister and Kent MP Hugh Robertson said he was not immediately convinced but felt it would appeal to a wider audience beyond those just interested in the Olympics.

"I am not an expert but I think this is one of those logos that has clearly been designed with the younger generation in mind, which probably explains why it has not proved popular with older people, who might have preferred a more corporate approach.

"I do not suppose the organisers are particularly bothered because at least everyone is talking about it."

He added: "I rather liked the logo used for the London bid and I would have preferred something that was based around a London theme."

Rick Hatfield, a senior design with the Hythe-based designers Oak creative, said: "I think they have tried to be a bit too clever and too 'street'.

"It works better when it is animated and I think they are trying to break with tradition."