Olympic Security: London Mayor Boris Johnson Downplays Staffing Shortfall As 'Pre-Curtain-Up Jitters'

Johnson Plays Down 'Pre-Curtain-Up Jitters'

Mayor of London Boris Johnson sought to allay fears of a shambolic Olympic Games by downplaying the recent G4S staffing scandal as "pre-curtain-up jitters."

However, the Mayor said he believed the increased armed forces presence wil merely add "tone" to the occasion.

"I think we are in the stage now of pre-curtain-up jitters and you would expect the media, quite properly, to be focusing on all the areas where people feel there may be imperfections or things we need to nail down and clearly transport and security have always been the big question marks," Mr Johnson said.

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Johnson spent Thursday visiting the Olympic athletes' village, even testing the security

"But I'm very confident that at this stage London is better prepared for the Olympics than any previous Olympic city has ever been."

The Mayor emphasised his trust in a combination of G4S and the armed forces to competently handle security, noting how elements of the security for the Wimbledon Championships was also handled well by Army staff.

"I think anybody who goes to Wimbledon and sees the role of the Armed Services in venue security, making the thing run well, will like it. It will add an element of tone to our proceedings over the next few weeks," he said.

Mr Johnson was speaking after he unveiled a plaque officially opening the new Hippodrome Casino on the corner of Leicester Square in London and said the venue was a boost for the capital.

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The Mayor ensured the catering facilities were up to scratch

"I think it's a great shot in the arm for this part of London and it's changing the whole time. We are seeing a lot of money being pumped into this part of town and this is a new magnet, lodestar, honey pot, whatever the word I want is, for high rollers around the world who are going to come and, I hope, unbelt significant quantities of foreign currency here in our city and cement 450 new jobs which this revitalised Hippodrome has created."

Mr Johnson joked that bankers could learn lessons about the consequences of gambling from such an establishment.

"One of the educations that this casino could provide is for bankers who don't fully understand the risks they are taking with money and the terrible inevitability of losing if you don't calculate the risks correctly," he said.