Members of Mayor of Tower Hamlets Lutfur Rahman’s cabinet slammed spending plans in neighbouring local authority Newham at last night’s budget meeting.

Cabinet member for resources Cllr Alibor Choudhury said the Labour-controlled council was spending £6m more than it could afford this year.

He went on to describe the budget put forward by Newham’s Mayor, Sir Robin Wales, as “reckless”, accusing him of having “no clear plan” for the borough’s finances.

But former head teacher Diane Roome - whose public question on Mayor Rahman’s spending was met with a challenge to find out what is being spent on education in Newham – was unimpressed.

“I have no interest in Newham – I live here,” she said.