The company responsible for using unpaid workers and apprentices to steward the London Olympics have been revealed as having a contract supplying fire marshals to the events.
The Independent have reported that although it was known that Close Protection UK were providing services to the London Games next month, it was not known that their staff would be responsible for shepherding Olympics audiences in the event of a fire. It is also unclear whether the security firm will be using unpaid staff or apprentices during the Olympics, as they did during the Jubilee weekend.
Over the long bank holiday weekend, Close Protection UK used 30 unpaid workers, and 50 apprentices on just £2.80 an hour as stewards during the Jubilee celebrations. The revelation that not only were they unpaid, but they had to sleep under London Bridge ahead of the events has caused fury among the public and politicians alike.
Yesterday John Prescott called for an inquiry into the use of jobseekers as stewards for the weekend's celebrations. He has also written to the Home Secretary, Teresa May and urged her not only to open an inquiry but to review Close Protection UK's security contract for the Olympics, while asking "Is this the Olympic model?"
Despite Lord Prescott's calls to question the company's involvement in the Olympics, a London 2012 spokesperson confirmed that:
Similarly the Sports Minister, Hugh Robertson, said:
