Dear Ed, THE Tories claim that very significant savings can be made if Tower Hamlets council’s own Pravda’ freesheet newspaper, East End Life,’ were to be scrapped. Respect councillors also want it axed, but are opposed to any cuts in council jobs, especially at this present difficult time

Dear Ed,

THE Tories claim that significant savings can be made if Tower Hamlets council’s own Pravda’ freesheet newspaper, East End Life,’ were to be scrapped. I do not believe this will be true.

Respect councillors also want East End Life’ axed. But we are opposed to any cuts in council jobs, especially at this present difficult time.

We believe there is a very important communication function for the council to fulfil which will need to continue to be funded.

We just believe communication should be done in a more targeted way and without the extraordinary self-serving varnish that pervades East End Life.’

What worries us most is the possibility that one of the very few serious independent voices in Tower Hamlets, the East London Advertiser, may disappear in the face of the recession and falling advertising revenues and circulation.

I get a digest of news relating to Tower Hamlets every week. The only independent and critical news and views are those expressed through the Advertiser.

Naturally I don’t agree with everything that appears in the Advertiser’s Letters pages, nor do I agree with all its news coverage or priorities.

But that is the point. We don’t want a paper which just expresses the views of one political perspective.

I condemn those Labour councillors who I have heard trying to defend the very large amounts of taxpayers’ money spend on pumping out not-so-veiled New Labour propaganda through East End Life’ and who sneer at the Advertiser clearly hoping it will disappear in the not-too-distant future.

To lose the Advertiser would very seriously damage the democratic process.

Cllr Abjol Miah

Respect Group leader

Tower Hamlets council

Town Hall, Blackwall