Tower Hamlets has one of the country's worst recycling records

Tower Hamlets has the second worst recycling rate in the country after neighbouring Newham.

Last year, it recycled 7% of its waste, well below its 18% target and the London average of 23%.

But a leaked government email has warned of the difficulty of intervening because the council's chief executive is married to a Labour minister.

Politically-charged

Tower Hamlets has consistently failed to meet waste targets set over recent years leaving it on track to face stringent EU fines in the future.

Councils could face fines of �40m a year by 2010, rising to �205m a year by 2013 for missing EU targets to cut the amount of waste at landfills.

Ms Gilbert complained to the GOL about the official

Tower Hamlets LibDem Councillor Stephanie Eaton said it made more financial sense to spend money on recycling facilities than on land fill tax.

Such is the concern about Tower Hamlets's performance on recycling that the government is considering intervening to improve things.

But an official from the Government Office for London (GOL) warned of the political problems that could cause.

In an email obtained by BBC News, he wrote: "There are likely to be difficulties in taking formal intervention with Tower Hamlets.

"The chief executive is married to Tony McNulty, Jim Fitzpatrick's constituency is in Tower Hamlets and he is minister for London and Tower Hamlets has been approved as an exemplar authority that will be championed nationally."

Mr McNulty is a home office minister and MP for Harrow East.

His wife, chief executive Christine Gilbert, has since written to the GOL accusing the official of a "shocking lack of professionalism".

A GOL spokesman said the official's comments were completely inappropriate and disciplinary action could follow.