Britain puts 1200 more troops on Olympics

20 Jul 2012, 10:43 pm   -   Source: AAP

Security staff numbers remain a headache for the British government, with a threatened Games' eve strike by border agents adding to their woes.

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In a one-two punch to hopes for a smooth Olympics, Britain has put 1,200 extra troops on standby due to a shortage of security guards, while UK border agents are planning to strike on the eve of the Games.

The last-minute injection of manpower comes as security contractor G4S continues to fall short of its obligations to provide thousands of guards to protect 100 Olympics-related sites.

Safety is a huge issue for the Olympics, and one that has become a painful embarrassment both for the British government and G4S, which had promised to provide some 10,400 guards.

G4S acknowledged last week it would be unable to fully staff the games, a last-minute admission that forced the government to call in 3,500 other soldiers.

Jeremy Hunt, the government secretary in charge of the Olympics, acknowledged that even G4S's reduced numbers may not hold up, telling the BBC he had put the extra troops on standby "in the unlikely situation that G4S's performance deteriorates from where it is today."

The security staffing headache has been compounded by a series of industrial disputes, including a threatened 24-hour-long walkout by border guards at London's Heathrow Airport on July 26, the day before the London Olympics opening ceremony.

London's Heathrow Airport has been beset for months by sporadic long lines at passport control, which the union blames on government spending cuts.

The problem had eased in the past week as thousands of Olympic VIPs arrived for the games, but a walkout threatens a return of the long queues at the worst possible moment for Britain's international image.

Hunt's announcement about more troops came as Home Secretary Theresa May acknowledged officials had been warned last month about Olympic security manpower issues, far earlier than has previously been admitted.

In a letter to the opposition's Keith Vaz, May wrote that she was told of a "possible temporary shortfall" in staffing numbers by G4S as long ago as June 27.

That's far earlier than the May 11 date that May had previously mentioned to MPs in Britain's House of Commons.

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