An online London newspaper is to complain to the EU claiming it is being discriminated against by the local development agency.

The Thamesmead Gazette, which is staffed by volunteers, claims it is being left off the mailing and e-mail lists of the Abbey Wood and Thamesmead Development Partnership.

Editor Dave King is writing to the European Union claiming the Gazette is being discriminated against.

His letter said: “This online newspaper, which has been running for over five-and-a-half years, has won numerous awards and covers the area that the partnership is supposed to look after, yet we are discriminated by not receiving e-mails, advertising or any form of contact by them, while other publications, which are seen as more supportive of their political aims get advertising and publicity.

“Under the European Union’s own rules, such political disrcimination is wrong and can result in loss of funding.

“While we have tried – on numerous occasions – to reach out to this organisation, they have repeatedly refused to answer us, or even acknowledge that we exist and we can only put this down to discrimination.

The Gazette is an online London newspaper staffed by volunteers. It was a 40-page weekly tabloid until 1995 when it took the leap and became an exclusively Internet production.

Mr King said the Gazette met many of the stated aims of the EU and the development agency itself, including changing the perceptions of an area, training young people and being a stakeholder in the area’s future.

The letter has also been passed onto the Greater London Authority and the local MEP.

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