London 'will burn again this summer'

As Prime Minister David Cameron enjoys free top-price seats at the Olympics alongside other senior politicians and dignitaries, deprived communities continue to struggle.

And government promises to invest more in poorer areas have rung hollow as ministers continue slashing jobs and services while the most vulnerable are forgotten.

Pauline Pearce, 46, who became an overnight sensation after she was filmed speaking out on the streets of Hackney during last summer's riots, warned that rioting could return.

She said: "It's difficult to think that this time last year some of London and England's most deprived areas were up in flames when all eyes are focusing on this year's extravagant Olympic Games.

"The government is not listening. It is still cutting. We have seen no change in the country's deprived communities since last year's riots.

"Cuts are continuing and it will only be a matter of time before the community responds with another riot.

"Tensions on the streets indicate that it will happen again. A lot of people think it will happen during the Olympics.

"It's distressing to think that it has got to this stage after all that was said last year about investing in poorer communities."

Former gang member turned youth worker Darrell James argued that the Olympics are a convenient distraction for the government to avoid responsibility of tackling the big problems poorer communities still face.

He said: “Billions of pounds have been poured into the Olympics while deprived communities are ignored.

“Nothing has changed. The Olympics are not going to be beneficial to us. We are paying for it but we don’t get to utilise it. It’s like buying a house and not living in it.

“Last year’s riots were a wake-up call. Nobody could have predicted them so there’s every chance they will happen again especially if the government keeps on going the way it has been going with cuts.”

A survey to be published today reveals that more than a quarter of 12 to 18-year-olds predict more riots.

It found that little has been done to tackle the causes of last year’s unrest.

Among those who predicted a repeat, the main reason given was that the chances of young people getting a job have either not improved or worsened.

Other reasons were the government not doing enough to address young people’s needs, the gap between rich and poor either widening or staying the same and a failure to improve relations between young people and the police.

A spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police claimed that the increased police presence in the capital was entirely to do with the Olympics and “there are no concerns whatsoever regarding any repeat of last year’s disorder.”

willstone@peoples-press.com

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