POLITICIANS are calling for a probe of council funded newspapers by the Office of Fair Trading. An all-party committee of MPs have called for the watchdog to look into the growing number of council produced newspapers, including Tower Hamlets council s

POLITICIANS are calling for a probe of council funded newspapers by the Office of Fair Trading.

An all-party committee of MPs have called for the watchdog to look into the growing number of council produced newspapers, including Tower Hamlets council's weekly East End Life and the effect they have on local democracy.

A report by the culture, media and sport committee said it was concerned that some of the publications were misleading and were politically biased.

Time could be running out for papers like East End Life.

George Galloway MP today pledged that if a directly elected mayor from his Respect party took control at the town hall the council paper would be scrapped.

The Conservatives on the council also want to scrap the paper and Liberal Democrats want to reduce its frequency.