I think the only ones in favour of the London olympics are the Parisians.
Back to the main topic. This problem has been brewing for years. Many's the time I've returned from work into LGW or LHR and legged it to immigration only to see the staff closing desks. Funny how they always decided it's time for a tea break just ahead of 2 or 3 or 737's load of pax arriving at once.
Those passport reading machines seem to be even slower than the IRIS ones. Most frustrating to see fellow pax in longer queues going through the desks faster than you can via the automated gates.
Out of interest, what would happen if a large group of UK passport holders held up their passports and marched through en masse, politely but firmly declining to be stopped? What authority do the BF have? I'm guessing the plod would arrest as many as possible followed by a few exemplary prosecutions and sentences.