Phil Briscoe, a councillor in Tower Hamlets and the GLA candidate for City and East, launched a petition yesterday (pictured right alongside Duncan Crossey, Tim Archer and Douglas Murray) against the stocking of Islamist literature in Tower Hamlets' libraries.
The debate about freedom of information and censorship is coming to a controversial head in Tower Hamlets. Following the publication of the "Hate on the State" report by the Centre for Social Cohesion, all eyes have been focused on the lending catalogue of Tower Hamlets libraries, where the works of radical Islamists sit alongside the texts of convicted merchants of terror. These publications are not tempered with a balanced critique, but are provided in free format and in multiple copies.
Last week we, Conservative councillors in Tower Hamlets, tabled an emergency question at a full council meeting to demand an explanation and action on this issue. On the 6th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, every single Labour and Respect councillor in the chamber voted to exclude this question from the business of the meeting, and no further debate was held on the subject. This is a shameful response from those elected to the serve the borough, and the disgust of local people is evident by the letters and emails that have been provoked by this action.
Continue reading "Phil Briscoe: Labour and Respect are fostering social division in Tower Hamlets" »