Labour hits back on Respect/SWP Strip Club Slur

Tower Hamlets Labour Group has now twice agreed policy seeking to investigate the more effective use of the Council’s discretionary powers to regulate strip clubs, in meetings both before and subsequent to the meeting of the Full Council on Wednesday 13th December 2006. Councillor Denise Jones, Labour Leader of the Council, had agreed before the meeting of Full Council to meet with Respect/SWP councillor, Rania Khan to seek a cross-party approach to the issue and will also meet local campaigner, Mr. Michael Collins, to listen to his views in order to take this issue forward.

The Council takes a robust approach to establishments using strip tease as a form of entertainment. Up to now, we have used the limited scope available to us to restrict the range or what comes to the borough and have taken matters to court where necessary. Unlike most other local authorities there are no sex shops or sex cinemas in Tower Hamlets due to the strong policy of the Council.

Throughout of Full Council meeting, Labour councillors were subjected to constant and aggressive verbal abuse by Respect/Socialist Worker Party (SWP) councillors. If the meeting had not been subject to frequent disruption, in particular by Respect councillors and Respect members in the public gallery, it may have been possible to have debated the motion. If this had happened, subject to an amendment to specify who should undertake the suggested investigation, the Labour councillors would have unanimously backed the motion. The Labour councillors at the meeting only voted against repeated procedural motions by Respect/SWP, which would have put at risk agreeing important and urgent debates on issues of critical importance including Crossrail, gambling and extensive works to the Docklands Light Railway.

The Labour Group has now submitted a motion to the next meeting of Full Council (28 February 2006) which outlines a clear strategy to deal with this issue of strip clubs. A motion unanimously backed by the Labour councillors and one which is more wide ranging and pro-active than the approach suggested by Respect/SWP.

Labour Leader, Cllr. Denise Jones (pictured)said:

“The Labour Group offered to work with Respect/SWP in a spirit of co-operation on an issue which concerns many local people. It is a shame that such a desire to work together was undermined through Respect/SWP seeking to use the issue as a political football. The Labour Group has been absolutely clear on its approach to the licensing of strip clubs, and on listening to the views of local people. By suggesting otherwise, Respect/SWP are deliberately causing undue concern and upset for residents across the borough.”

There will be a Tower Hamlets Labour Group Press Conference tonight at 18:30 at the Shahjalal Community Centres, 83 Duckett Street, E1.