UK deploys more troops to help secure the London Olympics
The UK government will deploy the 1,200 troops who were put on stand-by last week to help secure the London Olympics, a British minister said as security arrangements were tweaked to make up for a private firm's failure to recruit enough guards.
Jeremy Hunt, secretary of state for sport, said a committee chaired by Prime Minister David Cameron had made the decision to deploy the troops, who will join some 3,500 of their uniformed colleagues already guarding Olympic venues.
“On the eve of the largest peacetime event ever staged in this country, ministers are clear that we should leave nothing to chance,” Hunt said in a statement.
Troops were brought in to guard Olympic venues after private contractor G4S said just two weeks before the start of the Games that it would not provide as many guards as expected, causing uproar and embarrassing the authorities.
G4S said shortly after Hunt's statement that it had around 5,800 security personnel deployed at Olympic venues and was striving to meet a commitment made last week to Games organisers to reach the figure of 7,000.
“Significant numbers of candidates are now reaching the final stages of the training and accreditation process each day and we are working hard to ensure that we deliver on the commitments we made to LOCOG last week,” the company said.
Hunt said staffing levels at venues were being kept under constant review.
“G4S numbers continue to rise significantly and we have every expectation that will continue to be the case,” he said.
The opening ceremony of the Games is on Friday.
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www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/london-2012-argentina-to-snub-uk-by-refusing-to-send-president-to-olympic-games-opening-ceremony-7973022.html
CFK is snubbing the UK by refusing to attend the Olympic opening ceremony.
I'm sure our entire nation will be in tears at this tragedy. The projected increase in sales of eggs and tomatoes will be a sad loss for our economy.
Funny isn't it? The saggy old bitch was never welcome in the first place, so why would anyone perceive it as a snub that she isn't there? She is like the unwelcome evil aunt that no-one wants to invite to a wedding, but who still gets an invite for the sake of appearances.
If it hadn't been announced in the press then I can be reasonably sure than no-one would have noticed being snubbed by KFC. How can we make this snubbing a more permanant arrangement where she has a huff and doesn't turn up to anything at all?
Does it mean that there's a spare dignitary-grade ticket going for the opening ceremony? If so, then wouldn't it be poetic if they reassigned it to someone from the Falkland Islands Government instead?
As for the security issue. I would rather have the troops there than gap year students with a day or so of training. I do wonder, though, if this is something to do with the increase in security threat, rather than a last minute failure to provide enough staff.
can´t even organise security for the Olympic games who in
the world will feel safe there!!??
Surface to air missiles from an apartment block that nobody wants
and soldiers with machine guns in every corner. I think I will stay home!LOL
#5 Take off your anti-Cristina blinkers, the unchivalrous Cameron came off the worse in that encounter
@6 - Aussie.
These soldiers won't be armed, they are their to do what G4S couldn't, act as security guards.
You'll never see the soldiers that are armed, unless a group of terrorists try a Mumbai style attack. If that happens everyone will be glad the troops are there.
The only difference between this Olympics and any other is that the Olympic committee opted to tender security out. I've worked along side G4S before, they were a shambles then so I'm not surprised they couldn't pull this off. Their usual MO is to drastically underbid to win the contract, then put 'extra' costs on afterwards. They're sh!t, but this time they've fumbled the ball big time, I doubt they'll remain in business for long (unless they give themselves a new identity). The government should refuse to pay them anything as they have failed to meet their obligations under the contract.
As for the soldiers, they'll probably be pissed off (leave cancelled etc..) having to babysit tourists.
It was reported that the organisers wanted the soldiers to wear track suits instead of their combats, so they wouldn't look 'aggressive'. The MOD replied, they wear combats or they won't be going at all. The organisers whimpered and left with their tails tucked firmly between their legs.
Aparently, the sneaky CFK will send sussieusa,
to represent argentina,
apparently she likes all the games with balls .
The chance to publicly kill lots of people from all over the world is too good to miss.
That's why we deploy security organisations and the Police (public order), and the armed forces (defence of the people and the state).
If the army assume security roles then this adds another 'defence in depth' to the visitors to the UK and its own people. In an instant these security-squaddies can switch to terminators of terrorists.
Be reassured that it is so, because none of the world's nations wants it's athletes, supporters, etc to to be returned home in coffins ... like happened to the Israeli team members at the Munich Olympics.
then you may as well be protected by the best .
You purport to live in the UK but all we ever hear from you is a succession of put-downs over everything that comes from this country. If your life is so miserable here and you obviously cannot stand the politics in the UK, why don't you emigrate to the promised land of Queen Christina where life is so much better ?
I am rather suspicious of someone who seems to know so much about the politics of Argentina and the rest of the continent.
The average“Jock” could not tell the name of the president of any S.A. country and could not care less. It does beg the credentials of where you belong and your nationality.
At least I have told everyone where I am from and can judge whether my prejudices are at least from an UK perspective.
#6 Please do !!!!!!
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