I know some might accuse me of being on dodgy ground on this one but there’s something deeply troubling about the attitude of the current Tower Hamlets Council regime towards the media. During Lutfur Rahman’s election campaign possibly the most disgraceful advert that has ever appeared in what purports to be a newspaper appeared in a tawdry rag called the London Bangla.
The advert appeared in the name of a supposed refuge for women who had suffered domestic violence. It even provided a phone number for other victims to call. Of course, the entire ad was false. The advert said we needed to “Stop wife beating Mayoral candidate Helal Abbas”. Abbas was Lutfur’s Labour opponent. For those who never saw it first time around, here it is:
The rally it advertised never happened either. As a result of this advert, London Bangla’s then news editor Emdad Rahman resigned. At the time, I and other journalists asked Lutfur to condemn the advert. He never did, probably because the London Bangla was very much in his stable. It was a pitifully moral failure on the part of the mayor and one that he should be ashamed of.
The London Bangla was owned by Shah Yousuf. Since the election, Abbas has been considering his legal options and, quelle surprise, the London Bangla has disappeared to be replaced by another equally weird publication called the East End News. Shah Yousuf is listed as its editor and, disappointingly, Emdad Rahman has reappeared as its “executive editor”. Ex-Labour party member James Frankcom is listed as “news editor”.
It is effectively the same “newspaper”. So, as they say, imagine my surprise when I attended the last full Tower Hamlets council meeting a couple of weeks ago to find that this paper is being promoted in the Town Hall. Someone in the council – we’re not sure yet who – has given permission for the paper to be distributed free of charge from the same newspaper bin in the foyer of Mulberry Place as East End Life. Here’s a picture of the copy I picked up:
Crikey, what’s this sexual disease epidemic that’s hit east London “hard”? Let’s have a look at the article…
The NHS is promoting a sexual health awareness project to help solve the capitals (sic) growing sexual health problems.
The initiative is a response to recent research that shows London has the highest levels of sexual ill health of any city in the UK costing the taxpayer £500m per year. There are estimated to be over 35,000 people living with HIV in London – a third of whom are not tested and do not know their HIV status. Indeed, when Dr Lucien Herpes discovered his eponymous STD back in the 1920s he would have had no idea how soon his name would be on everyone’s lips. [GEDDIT? Lips, Herpes… .]
In addition, teenage pregnancy levels are among the highest in Western Europe and abortions, including repeat abortions in all age groups are 25% higher than the English average. [NOW, why would a paper want to talk about teenage pregnancies and abortions in an article about sexual diseases..?]
So in response a brand new sexual health intiative called Sex Factor Ideas 2012 has been launched.
Sex Factor Ideas 2012 is described in the associated publicity drive as a hands on initiative to promote Sexual Health awareness among young Londoners by inviting Lonodn’s young community to actually create the promotional campaign themselves. They are hoping to encourage as many young Londoners to get involved as possible.
[And now for the best part….]
The campaign comes as concerns were recently raised on a social media site about the potential for the upgraded Altab Ali Park to be abused by the East End’s growing army of “doggers”.
“Dogging” is a craze whereby men and women who are otherwise unknown to each other indulge in semi-public sex in the open air in places such as parks, car parks and gardens. Concern has grown after it emerged the new tree-stumps erected at the back of the park were mooted by dogging enthusiasts as a new potential shelter for their nocturnal activities.
Other sites across East London listed on popular dogging websites include the bushes around Whipps Cross Hospital in Leytonstone, the area between Plaistow Station abd Valetta Grove abd two sites in Walthamstow; one on Coopermills Lane and the other on Forest Road near the doctors surgery.
I have to say that despite the dubious undertones this is one of the funniest articles I’ve read recently and I do wonder whether the East End News is the new Viz….but given the Abbas advert and the paper’s strong links to Lutfur, is it right that the paper should be given a free distribution point in Mulberry Place?
What do you think?
Should we be told of more places where we can go dogging-spotting?
Trial by Jeory 
Yes indeed it should be given all the space available so people can see it for the poisonous, odious eeditorial it is. Surely someone has to produce garbage to rival Eastend Life and this editorial publishes idiocy that at least gives it a run for it’s money.
Funnily enough as I’m all for free speech there surely will be space provided for extreme right wing editorials to flaunt their lunancy too, equality and all that stuff.
TOWER HAMLETS THE HOME OF THE BIGOT
Lutfur is currently getting a caning on the Guardian’s Comment is Free. You wonder why either he or The Gruaniad bother.
It is a democratic country and if newspaper are left behind at no cost to rhe council. It’s more for the residents of TowerHamlets. As long as it doesn’t day anything insightful or divisive. Ted I have seen more divisive and bigotry comments in your website than I have ever read in east London news.
That wouldn’t be the same East London News that’s available here would it?
http://www.eastlondonnews.com/
(Where, incidentally, you can also read Bangla News online)
Doesn’t look like the same edition but there is yet another full page ‘investigation’ into sexual health – this time spreading into Europe and even with mentions of Asia.
Overall it’s positively sycophantic towards Lutfur. The few news items from other East London boroughs have quotes from relevant councillors or Cabinet members. The vast swathe of items about Tower Hamlets nearly all mention Lutfur Rahman by name or else don’t carry the names or quotes from any other councillors or cabinet members. Mind you, that may not entirely be the fault of the paper – they can only work with what they are given.
Incidentally I see from the paper that there is now a new Chief Exec for TH – I don’t remember seeing anything here on that (although I’ve only been checking in from time to time recently).
Thanks for the link, one of the articles that I came across was the following interview with our hot headed Civic mayor Mizan Chaudhury. In some parts his interview is quite revealing, but interesting to note that Mizan says the following “As Chair of Council, I must always be non-political and be seen to represent every section of the community regardless of political association.” Clearly this slipped his mind when he exchanged words with the executive mayor. Who and why appointed such a young lad for such an esteemed role? You have to question their judgement.
‘’Thanks for the link, one of the articles that I came across was the following interview with our hot headed Civic mayor Mizan Chaudhury.’’ You are referring to Mizan as hot headed just because he was brave enough to challenge an allegation made against him by Lutfur’s bully boy cabinet member, Alibor Choudhury. It was a tactic Lutfur’s camp used, as they were in the wrong, to avoid answering the petitioners and to the public why Lutfur was undermining the civic office. Mizan stood his ground and that is not being hot headed. As a Lutfur supporter yourself naturally you would want to undermine Mizan, but people know the truth about Lutfur, although they are silent, for now anyway.
‘’Lutfur needs to rise above such pettiness and show some leadership. Last night, Alibor tried to argue that the decision to strip Mizan of his dignity was justified in an era of cuts. But that won’t wash when Lutfur spends so much on himself and when the savings aren’t that great anyway. The decision just makes them look silly’’ TJ
”However, since his election last year, Lutfur has had a bit of mayoral envy. At the same time as spending £120,000 upgrading his own suite of offices and splashing out £75 a day hiring the luxury Lutfumobile, he first shoved Mizan into a shoebox office, then banned him from holding a cost-free welcome bash for dignitaries, and then a couple of weeks ago he removed the car was being used for ceremonial duties” TJ
‘’In some parts his interview is quite revealing,..’’ Mizan is an honest young man, not to mention very brave indeed. If you found some parts of the interview being revealing that is exactly the reason why.
…’’but interesting to note that Mizan says the following “As Chair of Council, I must always be non-political and be seen to represent every section of the community regardless of political association.” Why interesting – that is exactly how he is suppose to be and so far he has been. I remember at second Council meeting this year, Mizan did not favour any of his Labour colleagues and specifically he didn’t allow Cllr Peck or Cllr Uz-Zamman to continue with their comments during a debate when their time was up. Mizan is doing a great job at such a young age, during tough times and he needs to be applauded for that. Just because Mizan exposed Lutfur that doesn’t mean he is not impartial. Mizan get’s on well with everyone, including councillors of other political parties and represents well all sections of the community.
…’’Clearly this slipped his mind when he exchanged words with the executive mayor’’ You are referring to the Evening Standard article. Lutfur misused his powers to undermine the Civic Office and Mizan exposed him – that wasn’t a slip of the mind and it doesn’t make him political, but goes to show he is brave enough to challenge anyone of their wrong doings. It was also Mizan’s duty to defend the traditions and functions of the Civic Office as the First Citizen of the Borough. And through the Evening Standard article he highlighted an important issue that the directly elected executive mayor was abusing his powers, and he wanted everyone to know what Lutfur was and is doing – it was brave of him to expose him. Mizan is the only person, until now, who is brave enough to stand up to the mayor, unlike others who only suck-up to the mayor for their own benefit. One of the reasons Lutfur is giving Mizan a hard time is because he would not suck-up to him and Mizan is or never has been a suck-up artist, but always has been a principled young man.
‘’I do like Mizan, he’s got guts… but this whole episode is denigrating what should be a respected civic office. That said, the denigration was not started by Mizan, but by Lutfur, and it is he who should now take a step back’’ JF
In a series of letters seen by the Evening Standard, Mr Chaudhury writes to Mr Rahman: “As you and everyone else are fully aware, the civic office is an important element of any council’s function and carries over a hundred years of tradition of serving the people of its borough”
“What I don’t understand is why you are trying to undermine the traditions and functions of the civic office? You may be the Directly Elected executive mayor, but there should be a limit to abusing your powers”
It was absolutely wrong of Lutfur to abuse and misuse his powers to undermine the Civic Office just because he has something personal with Labour or Mizan.
‘’Who and why appointed such a young lad for such an esteemed role? You have to question their judgement’’ Who appointed him? – well, obviously it was Labour as they have majority of the councillors. Why? – because he was the best candidate for this role. Their judgment was spot on – in the current political climate in Tower Hamlets they could of not made a better choice, we need someone like Mizan, who can chair the meeting, properly, impartially, courageously, fairly and with a bit of authority and he did exactly that at the last meeting. And Mizan is not first youngest person to be in such an esteemed role. Councillor Craig Wilson of Whitland Town ast year was the youngest civic mayor in the UK and he was only 22 years old. Also another councillor, Ian Campbell of Retford, Notts, was also mayor last year at the age of 23. Councillor Sean Parker-Perry was the youngest ever civic mayor in Greater Manchester at the age of 30 in 2006. Mizan will certainly inspire other young people to come into politics for good reasons.
Is it me or this guy obssessed with Lutfur Rahman and London Bangla? Yes the article may be ludicrous but so are many other things, only if you look at it cynically. I think its sour grapes my friend, the fact that Abbas lost and your vision of Tower Hamlets did not become a reality, you’re fetished by degrading and expurgating this newspaper. I actually think that its controversial nature is more appealing than many other local papers, Bengali and English.
And for johnbhoy, you should concentrate on where you’re from and leave your lousy comments to yourself. Tower Hamlets is thriving and you haters cant stop it!
I am staggered the publisher has not yet been prosecuted for allowing the following webpage to remain up; given the libel-ridden comments that are permitted to appear:
http://www.eastlondonnews.com/stepney-green-teacher-arrested/
Those comments just go to show that East London News is being run by people who seem to have neither any journalistic training nor concept of libel or contempt of court laws. It’s a renegade rag and it should not be given shelf life at the Town Hall.
I’m also astonished that the Council has jot made any complaint about the comments, given that he was (is?) one of their employees.
Sourgrapes?
And for johnbhoy, you should concentrate on where you’re from and leave your lousy comments to yourself. Tower Hamlets is thriving and you haters cant stop it!
Oh dear old chap where am I from, are we going to go down the looney left racist road. Tut tut, disagree with the racist rabble in Tower Hamlets and I have have Larry the dead lamb trying to savage me, Baa my bleating heart awaits your location of my poor lost soul.
Typical dreamer, Tower Hamlets is a vipers nest of racist vermin in looney left clothing. Where is this thriving Tower Hamlets. Cerainly not in the media which backs up my claim of segregation and apartheid or is that just more right wing fascism.
Sourpuss tell us where the thriving Tower Hamlets exists apart from inside your head. I look forward to being enlightened. And of course just tell me where I’m from and why should I not concentrate on Tower Hamlets.
If there was a bell for racism you would be Quasi Modo
I must ask Ted, with the Eastend Life trying to strangle the East London Advertiser by cutting advertising and with it’s blatant support of this tatty East End News rag why the hell does the ELA pander to Rahman and his fables.
Why do him and his cronies, in my opinion nothing but bigots, get so much space to vent their lies. Rahman today again given scope to spiel against the EDL, demanding they be banned yet as usual never demands the same ban for similar bigots from the Muslim community who have been accorded taxpayer’s money to spew their hatred in Tower Hamlets.
This to me is turkeys voting for Christmas, oops can you say that word in Tower Hamlets, if it goes any further they will probably delete Christmas from the calendar, oh silly me, they already did that in 1999.
Mary
It is a democratic country and if newspaper are left behind at no cost to rhe council. It’s more for the residents of TowerHamlets. As long as it doesn’t day anything insightful or divisive. Ted I have seen more divisive and bigotry comments in your website than I have ever read in east London news
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It would be democratic if they allowed other editorials, not just one Bangladeshi extremist rag. Point out the bigotry Mary, no doubt it will be those nasty people who condemn Jew Hating that upset you.
[…] Lutfur’s other major backer, Shah Yousuf, is also, I understand, about to find himself having to defend a libel action over wife-beating […]
[…] Two weeks ago, I expressed astonishment that Tower Hamlets Council was promoting a Lutfur Rahman-supporting “newspaper” run by someone who had published disgraceful wife-beating smears about former Labour mayoral candidate Helal Abbas. […]