Why can’t things ever be simple with the Tower Hamlets Labour party?
Abdul Alim’s selection as Labour’s candidate for Spitalfields and Banglatown on Saturday has caused chaos within the party’s ranks. As I reported here, Mosabbir Ali, the boss of the party’s ward branch, complained that there had been a stitch up. But even as he was drafting his letter, Labour’s selection panel was considering another slight hiccup.
For they had just been informed that the man they plucked out of thin air had, rather disturbingly, a criminal conviction. (Anyone who captured the moment on camera, do please send me the photo.) So they summoned him back for another interview and demanded the details.
It turns out that way back when – I’m told about 20 years or so ago – he was involved in a fight with some “BNP thugs” in Brick Lane. As a result of that incident, he was jailed and spent time inside a Youth Offenders Institute for violent disorder. I’m told that he was sentenced to six months and he served all of it.
Because the conviction is spent (he is now 38 and he says he was 18 at the time), he told the panel that he didn’t think he needed to disclose it. One Labour official told me that because the violence was “against BNP/National Front” thugs he shouldn’t have been ashamed of it. I would have thought that that – and any provocation at the time – would have been a matter for the judge.
Here’s the press statement Labour has just put out:
Tower Hamlets Labour Party today confirmed their candidate for the Spitalfields & Banglatown by-election as Abdul Alim. Abdul was selected from a panel of exemplary applicants – including a number of former Labour councillors – and will now go on to contest the by-election for Labour.
The selection was made following consultation with activists from the ward and a thorough application and interview process.
Abdul Alim has lived in Tower Hamlets since 1976 and grew up in Spitalfields, where his father was a local businessman for many years, during which time he attended Stepney Green School. Having previously worked as a Civil Servant, he is now runs a successful in business in Spitalfields.
Said Alim: “I am proud of the East End, and of the progress we have made here. We have had to overcome many challenges. In the past, people went about this neighborhood in fear. In 1990, my friends and I were attacked by BNP racists. We defended ourselves, and we were arrested and prosecuted. But in the last 20 years our community has changed so much and grown stronger. Now, our families can walk in their community without fear. Labour is the party of unity in the East End, the party that brings people together to solve problems. I am delighted to have been selected as the Labour Party Candidate for the Spitalfields & Banglatown by-election. Local residents need a councillor to fight back against the unfair cuts of the Conservative and Liberal Democrat Government and who will effectively hold the new ‘Independent’ Mayor to account. I promise I will do my best for the people of Spitalfields & Banglatown.”
He has a high profile in the local community through his past involvement in groups such as the Weavers Community Trust & the Progressive Youth Organisation.Chair of Tower Hamlets Labour Party, Graham Taylor said: “Alim is a strong candidate and is absolutely committed to serving the whole of Spitalfields & Banglatown. He will be a valuable addition to our existing team of Labour councillors as we face the dual challenge of coping with the ConDem Government cuts and the heavy burden of scrutinising the ‘independent’ Mayor.”
After I spoke to Alim last night, he sent me the following text:
Twenty years ago I thought I had to fight physically to protect the people in the Eastend who were threatened by racisits. Since then I’ve got a family, run a business and lerned to love this community that I was brought up in. I still have to fight for it, but viloence is never the answer. Now we have a political battle to fight against Tory and Lib Dem cuts – to our schools, our hospitals and our housing. That’s why I’m a Labour candidate. That’s why I’ll be a Labour councillor. I’m going to fight these coalition cuts and I ask you to join me in this fight, so that together we can unite the Eastend.
No doubt, journalist in the area will be poring over the newspaper archives for more details of this incident and asking Alim more questions about it.
The local Labour party sure knows how to create its own fight, doesn’t it…
Trial by Jeory 
I knew there was a good reason for adopting “You couldn’t make it up!” as an ID. Your posts never disappoint – even if the politicians do.
Looks like Abbus is leading party towards another defeat. So much for his Bangladeshi village politics in order to remain Labour group Leader. Musabir should seek legal advice on High Court action to represent the S&BT branch’s almost two hundred members to challenge THLP decision made by the idiots on the interview panel Chris Weavers, Graham Taylor, Cllr Anwaar Khan (Josh’s poodle), ex-Cllr Clair Hawkins (Josh’s uni partner), produced and directed by mayoral loser Cllr Abbus. Clifton’s Shiraaz who backed Luthur can now finance the QCs for the legal battle!
I agree, looks like the field is open for Mr. Fozol of Respect… Unless Mayor Lutfur wants to scupper Respects plans and field an ‘Independent’ candidate… Anyone hear anything?!?
What pisses me off (apologies children) is that Michael bloody Keith still has a frickin say in this, rather than 200 paying (mostly) members! Labour Party officials are arogant, ignorant fools! And yet again, we will pay the price!
Having read this I have Respect for him!
Musabir should do two things immediately: challenge his ward Cllr Abbus to explain decision before emergency ward mtg, pass motion condemning his blind (instigated) endorsement of controversial selection procedure, organise protest outside party office as branch chair, demand decision to select ‘jailed’ candidate be reviewed, demand Graham Taylor distributes applicants’ CVs to branch members, demand his resignation if he fails to cancel and re-start selection and if all fails, take High Court action or stand as an Independent and teach them a lesson. Respect should also back him like they backed Lutfur without a candidate! Vote for members’ choice or for Musabir, not Abbus’!
There were nine options for Musabir, not two!
Why do we take Alims word as gospel? Who is this guy? No one has heard of him? This whole fiasco in tower Hamlet feels like a re run of a jhon Grisham novel. Makes no sense. To place an unknown candidate with no conenction to spitalfield is giving a free hand to RESPECT to win? The spitalfiled labour ward members are right to be annoyed. thsi man talks about fighting agaisn the BNP, ok in some ys its honourable, but where the hell has bhe been in 20 years? Never seen him at nay meetings, or any canvassing sessions. Thsi whole things is eerie. Its Abbas and the rihgt wing element of the party who have orchestrated the whole thing.
Maybe they want the Labour party to fail?
Maybe that is their agenda.
What has this got to do with Michael Keith lol
So, Labour has selected an exAnti-Fascist heavy as their candidate in Spitalfields and Banglatown. Does that mean they have finally woken up to the true nature of the political movement that calls itself “Islamism”?
silence from Lutfur’s camp on this one – wonder why
Labour win.
Why would Lutfur camp involve themselves in this matter, it has nothing to do with them. this is tricks coined by Abbas and crew and Lutfur is better off steering well clear of this poison. He has more bigger things to worry then that.
Labour need to re-do its selection, or perhaps like someone mentioned it as well – it could be a good labour trick in deliberately fielding a weaker candidate…
maybe they want respect to fill in the vacant position so as to marr Lutfur’s image …. anything really goes in TH i say and anything is possible given the drama we have had the past months
As Musabir Alee said in his complaint letter, TH Labour chair, Graham Taylor and Ken Clark, director of London Labour are responsible for this second ‘IMPOSITION’ in S&BT. They must review selection or RESIGN immediately along with Cllr Abbus for parachuting in this formerly ‘jailed’ candidate Abdul Aleem who Musabir Alee alleges is business colleague of the local BG&B Tory chair, Muckim Ahmed??
What on earth have the candidates business partners got to do with his ability as a Labour candidate?
I guess he has closer Tory friends than Labour in ward where he’s standing…and without Lootfor’s support either A.Aleem will no doubt lose, so that’s why it does matter when you have no friends in the ward except Abbass!
Aleem will win the electoin.