"More worrying is the impact on political discourse. Apparently any gesture of national prestige, glory and self-congratulation, once declared by government to be "worth every penny", is beyond rational debate. To quarrel with any feature of the games is to be a whingeing, unpatriotic naysayer. Normally hard-headed politicians (and journalists) have gone soft in the head – flat-earthers, creationists, climate-change deniers." - M F

I've always believed that the Olympics would drive people on a low income away from parts of the East End, make some landlords richer and be mostly paid by the rest of us. The reality has been even worse than expected. Still they are fun to watch. - M F

alas it would have happened in any regeneration of the east end - and there would have been one even without the olympics... - Iphigenie

Oh yes that's what happened in other areas of London, destroyed communities to build luxury flats. The sad thing is that if you walk into any council estate you see children playing outside everywhere, you enter one of those gated luxury estates and children are not allowed to play anywhere and are locked inside their luxury flats. - M F

I must say, I don't accept that's the inevitable legacy of a great Olympics. Issues we have, yes, the richest councils provide the best playgrounds and sports facilities to kids who need them least. But inspiring kids to embrace sport, to win, to the the best in the world? That's a great thing and we should be proud of it. - Winckel