Dany Cotton says fire was as unexpected as ‘space shuttle landing on Shard’, even though brigade knew of cladding risks The London fire brigade commissioner, Dany Cotton, has claimed the ferocity of the Grenfell Tower fire was so unexpected that it was like “the space shuttle landing on the Shard”, even though she conceded that the brigade knew about the ...

John Biggs, Mayor of Tower Hamlets, has announced that schools can pilot trials where streets around them are closed to cars for a few hours if  parents are concerned about their children’s health. Play Streets, where some roads are closed off at weekends where there is demand, are also being proposed as part of the council’s campaign to improve air ...

Fears in Europe that party’s goal of unseating PM could lead to chaos of ‘cliff-edge’ exit The EU is intensifying its preparations for a no-deal Brexit amid heightened fears in European capitals that Jeremy Corbyn will order his MPs to vote down any deal struck in Brussels, a leaked document reveals. Labour’s stated goal to reject Theresa May’s deal in ...

Labour leader adds to pressure on PM in conference speech that skewered Chequers plan Jeremy Corbyn has told Theresa May that Labour MPs will vote against her Chequers plan unless she is willing to accept his proposal to keep Britain in a customs union and protect consumer standards and workers’ rights after Brexit. The conditional offer came near the end ...

    Advice and support for young people looking to find jobs, training, courses and apprenticeships is now available at the heart of the community. What was once a vacant Santander bank branch in Watney Market has been transformed into the home of Young WorkPath, the council’s new and innovative employment and careers service with a focus on residents aged ...

A week of activities, talks, workshops and other events will take place across the borough, as Tower Hamlets Council alongside voluntary, health and community organisations mark United Nations International Day for Older Persons (UNIDOP) on 1 October. In 2015, there were an estimated 16,700 people aged 65 or over living in Tower Hamlets. It is expected that this number will increase ...

Stop smoking advisors were on hand at the Royal London Hospital yesterday (Thursday 20 September) to launch the national Stoptober campaign. Joined by John Biggs, Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Ian Basnett, Associate Director for Public Health at Barts Health NHS Trust and Chris Lovitt, Associate Director for Public Health at the council, advisors were engaging residents to take part and ...

Tower Hamlets Council has formally endorsed the campaign against cuts to education funding. Councillors made the decision at a meeting of the Full Council on Wednesday 19th September, after a motion was put forward by Mayor John Biggs and Councillor Danny Hassell. Councillors highlighted the fact that school across Tower Hamlets will see their budgets cuts by at least £16m – ...

The inaugural Asian Restaurant and Takeaway Awards (ARTA), the most prestigious celebration of South Asian cuisine in the UK, will be taking place on 30th September 2018 at InterContinental London – The O2. ARTA 2018 will welcome a guest list of the nation’s most respected curry restaurateurs alongside MP’s, dignitaries and celebrities as they collectively honour the achievements of the industry. The ceremony will behosted by television ...

Tower Hamlets Council’s ‘No Place for Hate’ campaign has scooped a prestigious award at the National No2H8 Crime Awards 2018 for its work in tackling hatred, intolerance and prejudice. TV presenter and social commentator, June Sarpong (MBE) gave the council the Upstanding Organisation Award 2018 for making “a significant impact on countering intolerance, hate and bigotry” in the borough. The ...