Since the chief executive of Tower Hamlets Council Christine Gilbert came into power, poor areas have lost community landmarks, the gap between rich and poor has increased including the ghettoisation of communities, corruption has increased, social housing has diminished, less than 1 per cent of students go on to higher education and the area has increasing health standards linked to poverty. A good reason for the Royalty to extol the virtues of public office.

In addition, a railway scheme called Crossrail, which will be used to take land and change the demographic in various parts of the East End through compulsory purchase powers was aided by Christine Gilbert as she helped former Crossrail minister (her husband) push it through Parliament while she did her bit in Tower Hamlets.