Newham’s Financial Woes Hit the Press.

It seems that several news outlets have taken up the issue of Newham’s pending financial difficulties. This was a matter we broke last week. If anything, the situation is worse than that which the press have picked up. The BBC covered the issue. 

The Standard reported that Newham was “hurtling towards bankruptcy”.

Sky News were quite stark in their assessment.

And of course., it is someone else’s fault. Cabinet Member for Finance, Zulfiqar Ali is quoted;

From the similarity of the reports, you could almost imagine that Newham has been trying to spin the story. A single press release with a narrative that it's someone else’s fault (the Tories this time); Newham did nothing wrong; and besides most London councils are in the same boat. The way to save these largely Labour boroughs is for the government to bail them out. As the BBC reports, Newham stated, “some form of government assistance may be required”.

BBC London also reported that Newham seems unable to pay its bills. In a row with neighbouring  Greenwich, the latter are demanding that Newham fulfill its obligations to contribute to the maintenance of the Woolwich foot tunnel.

Newham seems to be unwilling. Or unable.

It’s a good job this was not revealed before the by-elections.