The Largest Security Operation Since WWII

The Olympics in 2012 is turning out to be a security nightmare, presenting the Home Office with the largest peacetime security operation since the Second World War.

There will be up to 10,000 officers policing the event, this accounts for around 7% of all the police in England and Wales.

Unsurprisingly the heavy burden, and concentration of policing required for the event, threatens to "displace" crime, trouble and terrorism to other parts of the UK.

The costs of policing will, according to Jacqui Smith Home Secretary, remain "on budget" (whatever that really means) at £600M - unless the terror threat is raised from "severe" to "critical".

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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Walk, Cycle, Ride

London Olympics organisers are trying to encourage 385,000 spectators to travel between the London 2012 venues by using public transport and cycle/walking routes.

The walk, cycle, ride scheme will cost £11.5M.

It will cost much more than £11.5M to bring London's geriatric and overburdened public transport network into the 21st century.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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The Kiss of Death

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has publicly bakced Tess Jowell, minister for the 2012 Olympic Games, after her estranged husband was convicted of accepting a bribe from Italian leader Silvio Berlusconi.



"Tessa Jowell is minister for the Olympics. She's doing a very good job, and I have confidence in her ability to continue doing that job," Brown told a news conference in Rome, held jointly with Berlusconi after the two leaders met.



Their talks came two days after Berlusconi's former tax lawyer and Jowell's estranged husband, David Mills, was found guilty of accepting a 600,000-dollar bribe from the Italian leader and sentenced to four-and-a-half years in jail.



Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics



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The Kiss of Death

The Prime Minister Gordon Brown has publicly backed Tess Jowell, the beleagured minister for the 2012 Olympic Games, in the face of the four and a half year conviction of her estranged husband for accepting a $600K bribe from Italian leader Silvio Berlusconi.

"Tessa Jowell is minister for the Olympics. She's doing a very good job, and I have confidence in her ability to continue doing that job".

Berlusconi told the press that he was "100 percent certain" that Mills would be acquitted on appeal.

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
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The Destruction of East London

Hackney resident and author Iain Sinclair reports for Channel 4 News on how developments for the 2012 Olympic Games are destroying east London.

So much for the Legacy!



Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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The £800K "Legacy"

It transpires that the long suffering British taxpayer will be footing the bill for the 2012 Olympics stadium for years to come after the games, to the tune of £800K per annum.

For why?

No commercial operator is prepared to takeover the site after the games.

Three years ago the government promised that the venues would not cost the taxpayer anything after the games.

Tessa Jowell continues to insist that the "budget", currently standing at £12BN (including running costs), won't be exceeded.

Does anyone still believe her?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

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www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"

The Olympics Defies The Laws of a Recession

Despite the fact that we are now facing the worst recession for decades, the costs of the 2012 Olympics are defying normal economic laws during a recession and are continuing to rise.

The Telegraph reports that the cost of venues have risen by £97M in the last year, and are projected to rise by a total of £371M by 2012. It also notes that there is now only £500M of the £2BN contingency fund left to cover unforeseen emergencies and shortfalls.

Despite all of this the hapless Olympics Minister, Tessa Jowell, stated:

"This shows we are on course to remain on budget despite the economic downturn."

Jowell may care to reflect on the accuracy of that statement. The original "budget" for the Olympics was around £3BN, it now currently stands at £12BN (including £2BN running costs).

Precisely how can she claim, with a straight face, that the budget is "on course"?

Olympic Medals won during the Beijing 2008 Olympics

Don't forget to visit www.theolympicswarehouse.com
www.olympicsdiary.com brought to you by www.kenfrost.com "The Living Brand"