Attack: Sir Robin Wales

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These offensive remarks from the Mayor are deplorable in every sense of the word. How dare he make such a disgusting and racist remark against the white people of Newham. If a white person said this about the ethnic community there would be outrage, The mayor needs to apologise and take a good look at himself before he judges others. This mayor is a celebrity wannabe who does not give two hoots about life property or small white local business. He is obsessed with himself and should resign. In fact my friend in a pub in Plaistow is now getting a petition together to get him out.

- John, london, 07/09/2008 01:33
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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, 25/04/2007 13:59
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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, 19/02/2007 16:05
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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, 29/11/2006 23:02
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Thank goodness for a mayor who is open and direct about real problems. It's the best way to get start getting something done. Having just dismissed a resident of Newham for non-attendance, and struggling with another who struggles to get out of bed by, you guessed it, 11am, our organisation is faced with higher costs.

Sir Robin is also right to say that unemployment and benefits sap all motivation. I've been there, and needed an almighty jolt to get moving - in my case to travel across the world and live in Newham (have moved since but unwillingly). Although I can pass for a Londoner, I certainly don't feel at home when faced with the situation Sir Robin describes.

A lot of people are going to need to get an almighty jolt to get out of deeply set habits. So brace yourselves. Good skills training and yes, personal support will be needed at first, but then the onus is on each person to work hard, preferably in the knowledge that the social security net can't in any way be taken for granted. Better yet, take it away.

I just hope that policy and decision makers will see things as clearly as Sir Robin. I hope they will have the will to implement and enforce what might first appear very harsh changes that will disrupt many people's lives. If that's what it takes to create local opportunities for local people, then it must be done.

A country prospers or fails on the will of its people to succeed and build a good life on their own hard work. I hope we prosper.

- Andrew, Redbridge, Essex, 29/11/2006 14:45
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Maybe that is why I moved from Newham. The laziest seem to be those who are paid by the Council and the councillors are worse. What is that saying about glass houses ans stones. Sort your council out first before making random comments.

- Mary, Hornchurch, Essex, 28/11/2006 16:40
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Given his comments on the lack of education and skills he might do well to recall what is on the front page of his site
a snippet below ,

I act as the leader of the council, responsible for all Newham Council's services, like education, housing, leisure and parks.

As Mayor I also represent and champion Newham on issues that go beyond the immediate powers of the council. The best example of this is my role on London 2012, the organisation that brought the olympic games to Newham.

I have an ambitious vision for this borough, and that's because Newham's people are ambitious and forward-looking too.

Could the Mayor make up his mind?.

- T.North, Chatham England, 28/11/2006 16:01
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A Labour MP is not happy about white residents in Newham getting benenfits and has attacked and stereotyped them by saying they only strive to get a council houses? Well why not I say, they are dished out to bogus asylum seekers and immigrants just stepping foot in this country by labour councils up and down the county? Why you think there are 60% ethnic minorities in Newham and other London Boroughs CONTROLLED BY LABOUR. I wonder how many of these live in council housing, but of course the white MINORITY are under attack! Go figure labour! Reverse racism at its best!

- Mark Ward, London UK, 28/11/2006 15:45
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Dear Sir Robin
If indeed the comments are correct. As a responsible adult, I do not expect you to go around making blanket statements. Please refer to the related comments.

I am one of Newham Volunteers, and I object. Many early mornings in the past year my colleagues and I got out of bed at 4 or 5pm to support your initiatives/events. For example, on the day the Olympic Committee first visited Holden House in Stratford. Apart from doing our stint as volunteers, we are all professionals in our chosen careers. We do both duties with pride. Most of the people I know work hard from early morning until late at night. They live in Newham. You need to get to know your citizens Mr Wales. I will agree there are some people who do not want to get out of bed before 11am. There are several reasons. Do you know some of the causes? However, you need to. As head of the borough you should be specific and not generalise, you should motivate people. Can you do the right thing and motivate them to get out of bed?

- Valerie Forde, London, 28/11/2006 15:04
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Whilst it is probably true that Newham has a significant welfare culture and is ill-equipped to get into the jobs market in advance of the Olympics, this should not distract us from the fact that the people who are supposed to be well-equipped to run the Olympics have no idea of how much the thing will actually cost all of us.

- Ivan Tan, London, WC UK, 28/11/2006 14:55
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Nobody asked us if we wanted the Olympics aka. Dome No 2? Why not? It now appears we are expected to pay for it, so why weren't we asked by Ken Livingstone and his money grabbing cronies?

We weren't asked because they knew we had more sense and would say no. Why would we want an already crowded City pull in millions more people? We have to be mad.

- A, London, 28/11/2006 14:48
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If Londoners are lazy then who is creating all the wealth in this country?
I think it would be better to show statistics and compare across the country before making such comments!

- Bp, London, UK, 28/11/2006 14:30
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Don't you fret, Sir Robin. All the jobs will be snapped up by Poles, Bulgarians, Russians, Rumanians, Albanians, etc., that your lot are freely allowing into the entry-level labour market without any restraint (and some are highly skilled and qualified too!).

The most your constituents will have to worry about is getting enough Benefit to get that HD TV in time for the opening ceremony in 2012. Lovely jubbly.

Seriously though, the next few years could present a wonderful opportunity to train some of our unemployed youngsters (and not so youngsters!) some trades and skills on a live site, with plenty of work experience to go round. This will help them earn a decent living in the future. Perhaps the govenment might even legislate to ensure positive descrimination in favour of local quotas. Hey, they might even later emigrate to Poland where there is a major shortage of plumbers, as I understand it.

- Haskey, London SE1, 28/11/2006 14:16
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Sir Robin is quite right about the lack of skills; at fault is the Welfare System which pushes people who would like to come off benefits into work to stay on benefits, because they are better off. It needs drastic reform, as well as forcing more people back into work through better training, support and mentoring programmes.

- Dhanraj, Basildon, Essex, 28/11/2006 14:04
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As a native Londoner, and not one of the cardboard cockneys who has descended on us from the provinces, I'd say the last thing this city needs is an Olympic Games. But then who am I to judge? (Return to the first sentence for the answer.)

- Mike Collins, London UK, 28/11/2006 13:45
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I fully support his outburst. I initially moved to Newham because it was cheap, and thankfully I spend almost all day elsewhere in London at work. Stratford is full of lazy, benefit spongers. They think they should get something for nothing. I for one am sick of paying my taxes to watch them all meander around the shopping centre or pop down the bookes to spend their benefit.

- Ali, Stratford, Newham, 28/11/2006 13:42
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There is one group of people who are not lazy within the Olympic site, namely those of many nationalities who garden the Manor Park allotments in Hackney Wick. Their prize for being part of the alleged Green Olympics is to have their 100 year old site concreted over. Give the olympics back to france, a nation of imagination and taste.

- Michael Wale, West London. UK, 28/11/2006 13:38
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I don’t think Londoners are lazy, just apathetic. I groaned when London was chosen to host the Olympic games. Mr Blair, that burnt out force, and his Dome came to mind. I live in Central London and one thing is for sure, I will do a house swap with anyone without a television from the farthermost corner of the Earth, far away from the anachronistic Olympic games. Build hospitals not stadiums.

- Bernard Lawson, London SW1, 28/11/2006 13:23
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I personally dont blame Newham londoners from getting out of bed and signing on the dole, with the amount of taxes that I arisen by this labour government and the fact that there sums don't add up when costing the olympics, its quite understandable in their epathy about the games.
This labour mayor doesnt mince his works about his own constituents, but people of Newham remember his outburst when it comes to the next elections and get out before 11.00 to cast your vote to get him out!

- Raminder Bhalla, Northolt, 28/11/2006 13:11
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Hooray - This man is sadly spot on, not just about London but vast swathes of the whole country.

- Dave Davies, Basingstoke, 28/11/2006 13:04
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In the late sixties, Jack Lynch, (then Irish Premier) stopped Unemployment benefit for the majority of people under 25, and the turnaround in the Irish economy over the following years was amazing.
Perhaps similar draconian action is needed in parts of London ?
Why not require Unemployment Benefit claimants in certain Boroughs to sign each morning which would make it more difficult to work and claim benefits.

- John Jones, Hampton, Middlesex, 28/11/2006 12:50
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Can no-one spell 'borough'?! Think that says it all...

- Susie, West London, 28/11/2006 12:23
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Sir Robin Wales is spot on. I have a retired relative in Newham who is never out of bed before midday. He bought a new TV 14 months ago, and has still not taken the large empty cardboard case out of his lounge.

- Paul, Milton Keynes, 28/11/2006 12:20
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Newham is lazy! I lived there a few years ago, and was stunned at how teenagers would drop litter on the streets and expect someone to pick it up after them. I'm sure most of ungentrified London is like this, but I do wonder how many residents of the borough care that the Olympics is coming to the capital, and how many will bother to help make it a sucess.

- Richard, Hammersmith, 28/11/2006 12:11
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I can totally sympathise with the poor Mayor. How do you solve a problem like Newham? The feckless and unemployable don't pay council tax and drain the system of all funds. You therefore can't improve education and policing so the middle class council tax payers stay away. Generation after generation are born into the system placing more strain on finances, causing services to worsen. Eventually everyone that can leave does leave and no money enters the burrough that wasn't provided by the state to begin with.
That's the socialist model for you.

- Tula, London, 28/11/2006 12:01
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This coming from the man in charge of the council he is criticising is just bizarre! He and his cronies have failed to improve the borrough and now in the light of some real positive improvements he instead choses to criticise! The people of Newham deserve better than this man.

- Janak, Newham, 28/11/2006 11:57
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