MP GEORGE Galloway is challenging his local authority in East London over a four-year deal being handed out to distribute the Town Hall’s free newspaper only months before the council election
MP GEORGE Galloway is challenging his local authority in East London over a four-year deal being handed out to distribute the Town Hall’s free newspaper only months before the council election.
The Respect MP for Bethnal Green & Bow is demanding to know why the Labour administration at Tower Hamlets is putting out a tender to distribute its controversial publicly-funded weekly paper when three of the four political parties have declared they will scrap East End Life’ if they take control on May 6.
He has sent a letter to the Town Hall today in which he says: “East End Life is a matter of controversy. It must be possible that an incoming administration in May will review whether East End Life continues and also to review the role of the so-called Communications Department which is costing the taxpayer �1.5 million a year.”
He is demanding to know why the deal is being made for four years “when there may be no East End Life to distribute in a few months time.”
The ruling group has been accused of using the council tax-funded freesheet for propaganda to promote Labour councillors, while Opposition members don’t get the same coverage.
East End Life’ was also slammed in Parliament on January 13 during as Commons debate as Town Hall “propaganda without scrutiny” at taxpayers’ expense which was harming local democracy.
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