George Galloway sues but he probably won't sue you

According to Bradford's Telegraph and Argus newspaper, George Galloway is taking legal action against a Labour councillor for sending an allegedly libellous text in the run up to tomorrow's by election.

Synagogue losses appeal in which Hackney Council accused witnesses of lying

A long-running planning dispute between Hackney Council and a synagogue in Stamford Hill - in which the council accused Ultra Orthodox Jewish (Charedi) witnesses of lying -  has been won by the council.

George Galloway: Bradford vs Bethnal Green (UPDATED again)

Will strikes shut Hackney Jobcentre Plus?

I am unemployed and I went to sign-on on Wednesday. When I got to the Mare Street Jobcentre Plus I was told that I didn't have to come in again for a month (it's usually every two weeks) because the centre would be shut by a strike on 28 March.

Blood and Property interview with Rabbi Abraham Pinter

Rabbi Abraham (Avraham) Pinter answered a number of questions about the Charedi Community in Stamford Hill and its effect on Hackney.

Rabbi Abraham Pinter: I hope Stamford Hill will stay multicultural

Rabbi Abraham Pinter: internal competition drives land grab

Rabbi Abraham Pinter: Charedi leaders not to blame

Rabbi Abraham Pinter: amazed any words are left in Charedi dictionary

Rabbi Abraham Pinter: Cllr Mulready does not represent the whole community

Rabbi Abraham Pinter: Will the UK see segregated bus services?

Rabbi Abraham Pinter: "When people leave the community they go to the other extreme"

Rabbi Abraham Pinter has answered a number of questions about the Charedi community in Stamford Hill. Here he discusses allegations that womens' rights are under threat at his own school. 

Rabbi Abraham Pinter: "We're not going to over run the country"

Rabbi Abraham Pinter has answered a number of questions. Here are some of his views on the growth of the Charedi Community in Stamford Hill.

Rabbi Pinter: Is the Charedi community led by its politicians and other questions..

Hackney Council claims Charedi witnesses lied in planning inquiry

A planning inquiry into an unauthorised synagogue in Stamford Hill ended with the council accusing ultra orthodox Jewish witnesses of lying.

Schools without planning permission mainly in Stamford Hill

Hackney Council has provided details of seven schools in the borough which are operating without planning permission, the majority of them are in Stamford Hill and appear to be ultra orthodox Jewish or Charedi schools.

Charedi dictionary excludes church, mosque, penis and vagina

Stamford Hill's ultra orthodox Jewish (Charedi) community has published a dictionary that left out hundreds of words including church and mosque as well as penis and vagina.

"Notorious" article on Charedi men cleared by Press Complaints Commission

This blog has more than once referred to an article written by Jewish Chronicle columnist and historian Geoffrey Alderman - mainly as an example of how heated the debate between different sections of the Jewish community can become.

Ice pics of Hackney canals

This picture just seemed vaguely topical 

This guy had escaped from the garden centre to build an ice arch.

Turks and Trident and the Olympics

This week, (Thursday 9 Feb 2012) Hackney's new borough commander, Acting Chief Superintendent Rob Jones, commented on the implications for Hackney following the murder of Ali Armagan on 1 February. (Details here from Evening Standard and here from the Hackney Gazette).