On 13th October 2011, the Bethnal Green and Bow Conservative Association were joined by Bob Neill MP, Minister for Local Government, to talk about a range of issues affecting the London Borough of Tower Hamlets and the wider East End area.
The Minister expressed his disappointment at the local Mayor’s decision to continue publishing its weekly municipal newspaper, East End Life, in spite of the Government’s strict new guidelines.
Speaking after the event, Bob Neill said:
“It was a pleasure to spend time with Conservative colleagues in Tower Hamlets who are so passionate about East London and they have some fantastic ideas about how the area could be improved for current and future generations.
“It is deeply frustrating that the Mayor of Tower Hamlets continues to plough £1.5 million a year of local taxpayers’ money into his weekly vanity paper, East End Life, despite representing one of the most deprived areas of the Capital. Councils should be there to deliver key services for residents – not divert public money into publications which undermine independent local papers and do little but self-congratulate the ruling establishment.
“Ministers are very aware of the specific situation in Tower Hamlets and if for whatever reason the approach we have taken on revising the code is not delivering on the Coalition’s pledge to stop unfair competition by local authority newspapers, we will be considering what further steps are necessary.”
Cllr David Snowdon, Conservative spokesman on Resources in Tower Hamlets welcomed the Minister’s comments on East End Life. Cllr Snowdon said:
“Tower Hamlets are defying the will of Parliament in continuing to produce a propaganda weekly paper. The money spent on this could and should be diverted to front line services.”
John Moss, Conservative Candidate for the City & East Greater London Assembly seat, said:
“East End Life has nothing to do with local news. It is simply used by Lutfur Rahman to promote the interests of Lutfur Rahman. It is produced by Council staff from a suite of offices at the Town Hall, the costs of which have never been properly accounted for. The money wasted on it should be spent on local services instead.”