QUEEN Mary College is picking up the �12,000 to �15,000 tab for restoring and moving a statue of East London s Prime Minister. The statue of Clem Attlee who was a revered MP for Limehouse has been languishing in a protective box outside the defunct Lim

QUEEN Mary College is picking up the �12,000 to �15,000 tab for restoring and moving a statue of East London's Prime Minister.

The statue of Clem Attlee who was a revered MP for Limehouse has been languishing in a protective box outside the defunct Limehouse Library in Commercial Road after it was vandalised.

It was originally commissioned by the Greater London Council and passed to Towerb Hamlets on its demise.

It was unveiled by another reformer Prime Minister Harold Wilson in 1988 just a few years before the Tower Hamlets council shut the library.

In a deal brokered by Tower Hamlets council which is responsible for the �25,000 bronze statue by Frank Forster Queen Mary College will move the statue onto its campus off Mile End Road.

Restoration by Mr Forster is estimated to cost �2,500 and the bulk of the costs will cover moving the statue and crating a new plinth for it.

Councillor Tim Archer has been campaigning for the restoration of the statue.

The parliamentary hopeful who aims to represent Poplar and Limehouse for the Tories said: "The council is responsible for the care and upkeep of the statue but seems to have washed its hands of it and palmed off the costs onto Queen Mary College. Whilst it is to be welcomed that the statue will be repaired and will be on display again it will technically be on private property and not as accessible as where it currently is, and let us not forget it's still a taxpayer funded organisation that is picking up the tab.

"Attlee's links to the East End are particularly strong in Limehouse and it's a real shame he will not be remaining in Limehouse.