Titbits – tobacco money and ‘nebulous’ decision-making

◆ Stop Smoking services will not be axed by Hackney Council – despite its continued investment in tobacco firms. Councillor Jonathan McShane recently called for a debate on whether cigarette companies are an appropriate investment, saying councils need to be “bold and act in the interests of their residents”. The approach appears to mark a radical change from 2011, when Labour councillor Patrick Moûle said in a tweet that “tobacco is a sound investment”.

◆ Council freesheet Hackney Today featured a glowing profile on Passing Clouds owner Eleanor Wilson despite her being banned as a company director for failing to pay tax. When asked if any safeguards were now in place to ensure taxpayers’ money is not spent on positive editorial and professionally-taken photos of people under investigation by HMRC, the council essentially said no. A spokesman said: “Editorial decisions are made using common sense and available local knowledge. There is clearly a small element of risk in this approach, but it would not be possible, or indeed desirable, to conduct costly CRB checks, or immigration and tax investigations on individual residents for the purposes of an interview in the council newspaper.” But who mentioned doing a CRB check? How about simply asking Ms Wilson some tough questions? Or would that be too much like journalism?