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Londoners 'too lazy' to host the Olympics
Last updated at 11:28am on 28.11.06
Attack: Sir Robin Wales
Londoners have been branded "too lazy" to work on the 2012 Olympics.
In an astonishing attack, they were accused of lacking skills and education and of aspiring simply to "get a council home" rather than make the most of opportunities provided by the London Games.
The outburst was by Labour mayor Sir Robin Wales who said people in Newham struggled to get out of bed by 11am as they were so used to being unemployed.
Sir Robin said he was "sick" of seeing large numbers of people wasting their lives on unemployment or incapacity benefits and warned that a huge effort would be needed to ensure the promised jobs bonanza for his borough materialised.
Sir Robin, whose Newham borough contains the main Olympic sites, made his comments at a conference organised by the Commission for Racial Equality.
The mayor said he was optimistic about the potential for regeneration the Games could bring, but warned that significant numbers of his borough's residents were ill-equipped for jobs that would be available.
This was because they were locked into a lifestyle, often going back generations, of doing badly at school and then living on benefits. Unless a concerted effort was made to tackle this, Olympic employers would look elsewhere for workers.
"They won't get the jobs because they aren't ready for them. They haven't got the skills, haven't got the training and they can't afford to lose the benefits," said Sir Robin. "I have people who aspire to a council house. There are also people who won't come in for work even at 11 o'clock."
Although the problems were spread across racial groups, the worst levels of unemployment and skills in Newham, which has a 60 per cent ethnic minority population, were among white residents.
Sir Robin said the answer was to encourage employers to take on the unemployed and provide them with training and long term prospects.
Benefit cuts might also be needed to tackle those uninterested in working.
David Higgins, head of the Olympic Delivery Authority, who was sitting alongside Sir Robin, said every effort would be made to ensure as many local residents as possible were employed.
Reader views (25)
Here's a sample of the latest views published. You can click view all to read all views that readers have sent in.
There are two possible reasons for this "outburst" of Robin Wales:
1. Putting on the Olympics in the borough is harder than he expected it to be, and he is learning some hard truths.
2. It is a political solution to the fact that he has previously sold the Olympics to his Newham electorate on the basis that it would "Bring Jobs to Newham". But the obvious reality is that in order to get the Olympic site built on time, professionally, and with a useful legacy, most of the people that will be employed to do it will HAVE to be experienced construction professionals whom live outside the London Borough of Newham.
- G S, Manor Park, London Borough of Newham
Newham has some skilled and educated people too. I would suggest that the councillors launch out to bring out the skills and talents in Newham, targeting professionals. By launching, I mean that professional skilled people of Newham be encouraged to come out and be supported to use their skills and abilities. A publication by the councillors indicating areas of need might just be what is needed to get such Newham residents moving.
- Dr Vivian Ibekwe, Stratford, London
What steps has Sir Robin taken to remedy the lack of skills, training and education in Newham during his many years association with the London Borough of Newham? How many apprenticeships in trades such as carpentry and plumbing does Newham Council offer school-leavers each year? What about City & Guilds training in professions such as catering and nursery nursing?
Newham councillors must bear part of the responsibility why some residents are unemployed and on benefits. Apart from poor education and training, too much is handed out free such as travel and leisure activities. And successive governments are increasing welfare benefits without the receipiants having to make any commitment in return.
I disagree that Newham is locked in a lifestyle of benefit dependancy going back generations. This is an insult to all those Newham born and bred. Even forty years ago when formal education ended earlier and only the brightest and most fortunate went to university, there was less unemployment: boys followed their father's trade often with an apprenticeship and girls worked in shops or offices.
I cannot believe that the worse levels of unemployment are among the white population as there are very few white people of working age left in the borough; those that are white are mostly Eastern European!
Lastly, for those that do "aspire" to a council house, this remains just that for those who are Newham born and bred. Many have to leave the area to obtain decent, affordable housing
- Carol, UK
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