It's common sense closing gates on Brick Lane's 'hijab' arches

ela.editorial@archant.co.uk
10 March 2010

Dear Ed,

COMMON sense has prevailed over those dreadful Brick Lane 'hijab' arches, but only for a while

and only to save the blushes of divisive councillors with an extremely outdated cultural agenda.

Still, having temporarily closed one set of gates, we've got to make sure the backward-looking Islamists exposed in Channel 4's Dispatches programme don't sneak in by the back door with another set.

It is quite clear they have set their sights on having a directly-elected mayor for Tower Hamlets. Hence the supine local support from the likes of Ken Livingstone and MP George Galloway.

The idea of an elected mayor is a good one. But not here in Tower Hamlets. Those ghastly gates are a reminder that normal politics simply don't apply here.

Roger Foss

Deal Street, Spitalfields