TORY councillors in East London plan to scrap a Labour-controlled local authority’s controversial weekly “propaganda” newspaper if they take over in the May 6 local elections

By Mike Brooke

TORY councillors in East London plan to scrap a Labour-controlled local authority’s controversial weekly “propaganda” newspaper if they take over in the May 6 local elections.

The pledge was made at Tower Hamlets last night to abolish the council tax-subsidised East End Life’ by Opposition group deputy-leader Tim Archer.

“It would be the first act in a complete overhaul of the communications department,” he promised. “East End Life is a total waste of public money.

“We would do away with this propaganda and spending council tax the way residents want.”

The paper is costing the East End’s taxpayers an estimated �1.5 million-a-year in London’s most socially-deprived borough.

Critics are furious that it’s being sent to 90,000 households and business with its political bias favouring Labour party councillors week in, week out. It rarely features Opposition parties, promoting only Labour councillors and candidates.

“There are many ways to communicate with residents,” added Cllr Archer. “The council does not need an expensive weekly promotional paper to do this.”

East End Life’ was also heavily blasted as party propaganda in a Commons debate on January 13 when it was described as “an undemocratic attack on local democracy.”