Recycle boss seeks cut in free papers—except his own!

19 June 2008

A TOWN Hall recycling chief has called for a clampdown on the distribution of free newspapers in London’s East End.

Labour’s Cllr Abdal Ullah made his remarks at a Tower Hamlets media briefing for members of the East End’s local and ethnic press on June 16.

He specifically pleaded with owners of the several Bengali newspapers based in Whitechapel to cut down on their distribution levels on Fridays when they are handed out at mosques.

Their actions were creating unnecessary litter and mess, he said.

But when the East London Advertiser, which is only available at newsagents, asked him how he ‘had the cheek’ to make that request when the council itself dumps 80,000 copies of East End Life on people every week—many later strewn on streets adding to the litter problem—other journalists laughed and agreed.

Cllr Ullah said: “East End Life is delivered through people’s letter boxes and not left lying around.”