‘British kids are lazier than immigrants,’ Boris Johnson backs Jamie Oliver over work debate

Conservative London Mayor Boris Johnson has caused controversy once more by claiming that British children are lazier than those that immigrate to the country, echoing Jamie Oliver’s similar claim about migrant workers earlier this year.

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by Ellie Hooper |
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He was speaking at the Conservative party conference, where he said Oliver ‘had a point’ when he commented that European immigrants tended to be much tougher than their British born counterparts.

The Mayor also poked fun at the previous feud between the celebrity chef and himself, saying to the Prime Minister:

‘Dave, I have made it a rule of these conferences never to disagree with Jamie Oliver, because last time I did so I was put in a pen and pelted with pork pies by the media.’

The pair fell out over Jamie's campaign to make children's school meals healthier.

Jamie Oliver caused contoversy with his comments about migrant workers earlier this year

Jamie Oliver, who has made his fortune with his relaxed, can-do approach to cooking, angered thousands in the summer when he said ‘British kids particularly, I have never seen anything so wet behind the ears!’

He also claimed his restaurants would close immediately if it weren’t for migrant workers who don’t ‘whinge’ about the long working hours required in a kitchen.

Agreeing with The Naked Chef, Boris said: ‘I know and you know that there are millions of British kids who are as dynamic and young people are as dynamic and go-getting and motivated as any potential millionaire Masterchef, of course there are.

Adding: ‘But my question is what if Jamie has a point, what if he has half a point, or even a quarter of a point.’


Boris, who has never been shy about speaking his mind since he became Mayor in 2008, asked audience members to think on the reasons for this, so that they might overcome the problem.

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