Pickles attacks councils for 'Town Hall Pravdas'

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles has critcised five London councils for their "propaganda on the rates" claiming it drives local newspapers out of business.

Formal letters have been sent to the councils responsible for Greenwich Time, Hackney Today, the Newham Mag, Waltham Forest News and East End Life in Tower Hamlets, after Mr Pickles accused them of printing the newpapers too often.

The minister is attempting to force councils to comply with the Publicity Code for local authorities as part of the new Local Audit and Accountability Act.

The measures aim to ensure all publicly-funded sheets should be objective and limited in frequency.

"It is scandalous that bloggers have been handcuffed for tweeting from council meetings, whilst propaganda on the rates drives the free press out of business. Only Putin would be proud of a record like that," Pickles said.

"Localism needs robust and independent scrutiny by the press and public, and municipal state-produced newspapers suppress that. Town Hall Pravdas not only waste taxpayers' money unnecessarily, they undermine free speech."