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Uproar as Foreign Office helps Koreans into 2012 jobs
Nicholas Cecil06.03.09
Gordon Brown faced fresh troubles today over jobs for British workers after it emerged that the Government is actively backing foreign firms to win contracts for the London Olympics.
Britain's ambassador to South Korea Martin Uden revealed that companies abroad are being encouraged to bid for work for the 2012 Games and expressed "surprise" that bringing in foreign firms could cause concern although hundreds of thousands of workers here are losing their job in the recession.
There are still 70,000 contracts for the Games worth a total of £8billion to be awarded and on a blog, Mr Uden said: "I'd be delighted to see as many Korean companies as possible competing for and winning these contracts."
He pledged that trade officials at the British Embassy in Seoul would help Korean firms with their bids.
Tory MP Oliver Heald who sits on the Commons work and pensions committee, said: "It's time for Mr Brown to explain exactly what he really means by 'British jobs for British workers'."
Latest government figures have shown that more than 10,000 foreign citizens have been given National Insurance numbers to work in London's Olympic borough.
Reader views (8)
The sheer duplicity of this lousy rotten Government is beyond beleif.Even if Brown hadnt made the "British jobs for the British" statement you would have thought wouldnt you that this would be a natural descision by the Olympic commitee or whoecver.These Ministers just say anything beleiving thats enough and then just do nothing.Talk ,Talk . What a bunch!
Peter
Spain
- Peter French, Orihuela Costa Spain
Lets send all work abroad because everyone can do it much better than us is a defeatist attitude and helps no one.The real problem is people who are supposed to represent UK interests like the ambassador here only look after their own. With people like that who needs enemies?.
- Tony ,Essex, Harlow,UK
This government is putting our country in a more dangerous position than ever before. This has GOT to stop. People in my local neighbourhood wanted to vote BNP in the last election and were disappointed there was a candidate nominated in our area. The government must protect the British people's interests and stop this idiocy now.
- Real, London
Gary, Amersham. Hear, hear!
- Archie, Thrapston, England
"Three cheers for Martin Uden. He recognises that the Koreans could help the UK finish the projects on time and with great efficiency. Living in Korea I'm sure he sees for himself the superior technology, efficiency and ease of doing things that Britain lost a long time ago. If you want to pay a bill or similar transaction through your bank in Korea, do you have to put up with the fraudulent 'oh it takes 5 working days to clear' tripe you get in Britain? Of course not- it's instantaneous....that second. If you need a new bank card because your old one is damaged, do you wait a week or more as in backward old Britain? Nope....20 minutes at your local branch. The sooner Britain wakes up and realises just how bureaucratically inept it is at doing anything on time and in budget, and learning from advanced countries like Korea, the better.
- Richard, London, UK"
Why don't you go and live in Korean then? You won't be missed.
- Pat, Essex
Many traditional Labour voters I know will also vote BNP this Labour government are really useless but also scary with their petty rules and massive fines for minor indiscretions and petty sentences for major crimes
- Rob A, Liverpool UK
Three cheers for Martin Uden. He recognises that the Koreans could help the UK finish the projects on time and with great efficiency. Living in Korea I'm sure he sees for himself the superior technology, efficiency and ease of doing things that Britain lost a long time ago. If you want to pay a bill or similar transaction through your bank in Korea, do you have to put up with the fraudulent 'oh it takes 5 working days to clear' tripe you get in Britain? Of course not- it's instantaneous....that second. If you need a new bank card because your old one is damaged, do you wait a week or more as in backward old Britain? Nope....20 minutes at your local branch. The sooner Britain wakes up and realises just how bureaucratically inept it is at doing anything on time and in budget, and learning from advanced countries like Korea, the better.
- Richard, London, UK
my god this Government makes the Torys of the 1990's look like a minor indiscretion! Just when will the Conservative opposition start fighting back - as at the moment, all the good vote winning policies appear to be coming from Mr Griffins party - many traditional Tory voters i know are going to vote for the BNP at the next possible chance!!!
- Gary, amersham
