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The arrest of 80 illegal immigrants working on the Olympic site highlights not only the continuing problem of clandestine migrants but the gap between promises on Olympic jobs and the reality.
One of the main arguments for the Olympic bid was that it would regenerate a swathe of east London and provide thousands of new jobs.
In fact, as Newham mayor Sir Robin Wales complained last week, to date the effect has been limited: one in five of the 7,000-plus Olympic site workers is local to Newham but many are transient, and Sir Robin fears that there will be no "skills legacy".
That some of the jobs are going to illegal migrants will be particularly galling to local people in this deprived area of London.
The arrests highlight a wider failure on illegal migration, and the continuing failure of some employers to carry out the necessary checks.
An LSE study for London's Mayor this year estimated that there are perhaps 725,000 illegals in the UK, of whom up to 75 per cent live in the capital.
Reducing their numbers is a complex task. During his election campaign last year, Boris Johnson voiced support for an "earned amnesty" for illegal immigrants.
But ministers could still do more to close loopholes, notably the misuse of student visas, one of the most common routes in.
As our report today suggests, non-EU citizens are able to get student visas for studying a range of "degrees" including circus skills, acupuncture and ancient medicine; others simply over-stay their visas.
London welcomes migrants - but it is not right that illegal immigrants should take jobs away from legal residents, especially during these hard times.
Targets fail our kids
Today the Schools Secretary, Ed Balls, will announce plans to target more than 1,400 primary schools that are accused of under-performing: ultimately, the implication is that they could be forced with closure if they do not meet minimum targets for the numbers of pupils reaching the expected standard for their age.
The move comes as this week's primary school league tables showed a slight drop in standards, with more than half of children in 85 London primaries failing in English and maths. Yet in setting more targets, Mr Balls' strategy may compound the problem.
As new research by the Conservatives today suggests, some of the brightest children are falling behind between ages seven and 11 thanks to a concentration on hitting minimum targets.
As any parent can attest, the massive time spent preparing for Sats is often demotivating.
Moreover, Mr Balls should be careful to avoid the unnecessary macho tone of his "National Challenge" on secondary schools, which saw 600 threatened with takeover or closure.
In the end, only better teachers, not threats and targets, will improve standards.
For example, the Conservative proposal today to write off the student debts of graduates who teach is an imaginative one.
Without improving teaching, the Government's culture of targets will deliver little: if, after 12 years, ministers cannot accept that dismal conclusion, then London parents certainly can.
Eyes on the prize
These are the prizes money can't, in theory, buy: an art lesson with Tracey Emin; a pint with Guy Ritchie; a day with Sir Richard Branson.
Yet now Standard readers have the chance to bid on eBay for these and dozens of other amazing experiences in our Christmas Charity Auction.
Your money will go to help the ground-breaking south London children's charity, Kids Company - while you have the experience of a lifetime. Let the bidding begin.
Reader views (3)
Catch the Donal MacIntyre podcast on BBC 5Live from last Sunday 29th, The Investigators. It uncovers the impact that thousands of foreign over-stay students from India are having o the local Southall community who are mainly Sikhs. Sikh temples have a tradition of feeding all who arrive at their doors and these desperate students who wont return to their own country, depend on the temples for food. They sleep rough in car parks and anywhere they can find. Local Sikhs are angry at the invasion as the recession has dried up jobs the students had previously depended on for income.
Inevitably with some, crime becomes a problem. Southall's residents are being overwhelmed, near to tipping point. How is such illegal activity of this size been allowed to happen? Some countries don't tax their citizens. Some are negligent in collecting it and rely on corruption and bribes. British residents and tenants pay very high taxes and for that they expect a certain degree of smooth running social law and order cohesion in the area's they live in.
- Ash, London, 04/12/2009 13:29
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There's a staggering number of babies in London alone born to foreign born mothers. The numbers of migrants in the big cities changes the face of Britain out of all recognition. The worst thing Labour is accountable for is fuelling a hard-right swing in this country and hastening the rise of the BNP and nationalist party's. They shut us all up by abusing as racist, anyone who showed concern about the fast rising number of migrants, legal and illegal. They effectively gagged all of Britain on this issue and will be leaving office for others to deal with the wholesale problems and mess they've left behind on the issues of over-migration.
- Sophie Williams, Bristol, 04/12/2009 11:19
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We need an amnesty for all illegal immigrants. Let people work and treat everyone like human beings.
- Nolan, Londonist, 04/12/2009 11:00
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