Spiral Notebook: Lutfur Rahman - here comes the new boss, same as the old boss?

COMMENT

By Giles Broadbent

Racked by weariness and relief, the new Mayor of Tower Hamlets wept. He was hurt, he said, by accusation that he was racist, that he was a disciple of division.

Spiral Notebook: Council newspaper reaching the end of its East End Life

COMMENT

By Giles Broadbent

East End Life, like the rest of the press, appears to be drinking in last chance saloon.

A Government bill to crack down on "town hall Pravdas" has cleared its final Parliamentary stage in the House of Lords.

Spiral Notebook: The mayor, the Murk and an embarrassment of riches

COMMENT

By Giles Broadbent

Sometimes the presentational contortions required to keep Tower Hamlets mayor Lutfur Rahman on the road are so convoluted, you wonder why it's worth the effort.

You can imagine his back room team, the Thunk-Tank, writing Big Ideas on small Post-Its and then writhing around the shagpile in constipated knots agonising over the good, bad and ugly of their latest wheeze.