A commenter called Coco Whip posted the following for approval on this blog last night. I think it’s worthy of a post in its own right. It is a letter sent by the Tower Hamlets Labour group to Cllr Kabir Ahmed following a press release he and Cllr Shahed Ali issued on November 10 and detailed here. Here’s the letter:
Strictly Private and Confidential
12 November 2010
Re: Press Release 10.11.2010
Dear Cllr Ahmed,
On Wednesday 10th November 2010, you issued a press statement, co-signed by Councillor Shahed Ali, in which you both questioned the Labour Group’s intention to cooperate with Mayor Rahman. This was also reported on Channel S, the same evening. I have attached a copy of your statement for reference.
I would like to ask for clarity on some of the points you have made. So that you have an opportunity to respond, I would ask that you reply in writing to me, by 12 noon on Wednesday 17th November.
Firstly, your statement indicates your reasons for ‘breaking the Labour Group Whip. I would like to ask how you will do this and in what context?
Secondly, your statement offers your ‘support for working with independent Mayor Rahman’ and you refer to an ‘emergency motion of non-cooperation’ that was passed at the Group meeting. I would like some further information on how you intend to support the Mayor and how your position differs from the motion passed at the Labour Group meeting of October 25th, a section of which I have copied below.
• To continue to work to further Labour values for the benefit of residents of Tower Hamlets
• To work constructively with the Mayor and other parties, where to do so would be for the benefit of local residents, and to oppose him where we think his decisions and actions are not in the best interests of the Borough and its residents.
Finally, I would like to offer you the opportunity to withdraw the comments you made in your statement.
I trust that you will respond to this request in a comradely fashion and I look forward to hearing from you by Wednesday 17th November.
Yours Sincerely,
Cllr. Anwar Khan
Chief WhipCc. TH Labour Group Executive
I’ll look into what their response was.
Trial by Jeory 
If it’s marked Strictly Private and Confidential then why is it being posted on a public blog?
COPY OF LETTER SENT TO SHAHED ALI
Strictly Private and Confidential
12 November 2010
Re: Press Release 10.11.2010
Dear Cllr Ali,
On Wednesday 10th November 2010, you issued a press statement, co-signed by Councillor Kabir Ahmed, in which you both questioned the Labour Group’s intention to cooperate with Mayor Rahman. This was also reported on Channel S, the same evening. I have attached a copy of your statement for reference.
I would like to ask for clarity on some of the points you have made. So that you have an opportunity to respond, I would ask that you reply in writing to me, by 12 noon on Wednesday 17th November.
Firstly, your statement indicates your reasons for ‘breaking the Labour Group Whip. I would like to ask how you will do this and in what context?
Secondly, your statement offers your ‘support for working with independent Mayor Rahman’ and you refer to an ‘emergency motion of non-cooperation’ that was passed at the Group meeting. I would like some further information on how you intend to support the Mayor and how your position differs from the motion passed at the Labour Group meeting of October 25th, a section of which I have copied below.
• To continue to work to further Labour values for the benefit of residents of Tower Hamlets
• To work constructively with the Mayor and other parties, where to do so would be for the benefit of local residents, and to oppose him where we think his decisions and actions are not in the best interests of the Borough and its residents.
Finally, I would like to offer you the opportunity to withdraw the comments you made in your statement.
I trust that you will respond to this request in a comradely fashion and I look forward to hearing from you by Wednesday 17th November.
Yours Sincerely,
Cllr. Anwar Khan
Chief Whip
Cc. TH Labour Group Executive
Ah yes, Anwar the new kid on the block thrusted to Whip position because he kisses feets. Probably that of Josh Peck!
@Eastenders good point. But we know Ted loves Labour and he would never attack them in anyway. Look at this “about me” section and how he deceives people saying “former Respect counciller” when he could have easily said “former Labour councillor” because that is what Wais was more of than anything else during his time in office! Deception at its best i guess!
Exactly when was Wais elected as a Labour councillor?
Ted, you know, and I know, that that’s not the point. Wais was most recently a Labour Councillor. And he still professes to be a Labour Party member.
While the description of “former Respect councillor” is factually accurate, it’s slightly deceptive.
It would be like someone choosing to describe you solely in relation to your former role on the ELA, while ignoring the fact that you have gone on to bigger (but IMO most certainly not better!) things in the world of print media.
You’re right. I’ve amended the section.
I’m struggling to understand which bit of this letter makes it “strictly private and confidential”.
One could argue there is precisely nothing in this letter which comes as any sort of a surprise or could not have been predicted by anybody.
If anything, I’m actually rather surprised the Labour Party didn’t issue it as part of a Press Release to stop speculation about what goes on behind closed doors! 😉
I too wonder what the response was.
It’s the bit at the top of the letter which states clearly ‘Strictly Private and Confidential’.
Whether or not it deserves to be is something else but if it is marked as such I don’t think it’s helpful for either Coco Whip or the respondents (if they chose to) to go publicising its contents.
That was in fact the only line that appeared to justify it’s being described as such! Hence my comment – I was being ironic.
My general impression is that marking such letters in this way – when they clearly don’t need to be – is what tends to trigger a leak!
If you don’t make it such a big secret it generally attracts a lot less comment! 😉
Because the dude said its worthy of a read… and I agree. Interesting Kabir is given an opportunity to tkae his comments back – doesnt look like Labour are expelling them. Hmm I wonder why, is it because they know more people will slowly shift?
What has happened to Labours Stance on if you support the Mayor – You’re out???
Isn’t the position, if they won’t agree to accept the Labour whip you’re out?
In other words they have to agree to side with Labour when the Labour Party takes a whipped position on something. Which I believe is the small hurdle which Livingston has fallen over in the past.
Don’t you have nothing else to do? You’re blocking up the comment section with your constant ranting, try and get a real job Cllr Peck or start working for the community that elected you, that should keep you busy.
Believe me, the last few comments by You couldn’t make it up has convinced me that they are most definitely not Josh Peck.
I’m very touched that you should think that I’m Councillor Peck 😉 however as I’ve already made clear in another post I’m not a Councillor and I’m not a member of a political party either.
Are you always so abusive to members of the local population?
The coalition government is providing stability in difficult times to deal with the economic crisis we are faced with. Similarly we should in tower hamlets have this bipartisan arrangement to work towards making those decisions jointly. Why doesn’t the labour party or the others work with lutfor? Surely if these politicians were truly working in the public interest they should be principled enough to put aside their differences in these extraordinary times and work for the people of tower hamlets. Politicians should be accountable to the people not to their parties. These councillors should be applauded not vilified for not towing the party line!
Standard letter but a bit annoying that it got leaked. There are ways of finding out who leaked it…wonder whether he’ll do that?
coco whip is obviously a term of racist abuse
Especially if he proniounces it like Stuey in ‘Family Guy’.
What is the position of the Labour group on leaks? Does anyone think that this is the work of someone from Opposition, ie the Labour group itself, because they are falling apart due to another internal factionalism caused by rivalry over leadership? It is also rumoured that some want to get Cabinet positions but are restricted by THLP’s internal intimidation tactics to keep the whip. Labour need a whip who needs to be taken seriously.
It is also rumoured that some want to get Cabinet positions but are restricted by THLP’s internal intimidation tactics to keep the whip
Or to put it another way, respect the democratic decision of the vast majority of Labour Group and follow the whip. Beacuse that’s what we do in democratic parties.
If the Labour group whip Cllr Anwara Khan has any real power she would investigate how these letters got leaked and then take really harsh disciplinary measures but she won’t I guess unless her masters instruct her whoever they are.
Cllr Anwar Khan – he, not she.
Just out of curiosity doesn’t the town hall Labour group have a chairman to oversee poor conduct by members? For how long will he remain lax over such a damaging leak? Someone has to get penalised otherwise it will look like the cheap whip done it. The question is who? Any idea guys and girls?!
Do stop stirring on a non-issue! You’ve tried three times to get people to respond – and got no response.
What’s damaging about it?
– What does it say which damages the individual or the Labour Party?
– How exactly does it do that damage?
The individual has stated in public what they want to do. The Labour Party Manual on ‘what you do next if a member wants to jump ship’ isn’t a secret so far as I am aware. Surprise, surprise, the Tower Hamlets Labour Party Chief Whip then writes a letter enquiring what are the actual intentions of the people concerned in the context of agreed motions. Big deal! What exactly is surprising or damaging about this?
Local authorities used to get their “knickers in a twist” about information being leaked. Now everything they do has to be done in full knowledge that the information might be made available to the public under the Freedom of Information Act. They’ve also stopped putting ‘Strictly Pirvate and Confidential” on any document that doesn’t warrant it.
Transparency in public life is a wonderful thing! For one thing it helps to raise the standards of conduct and business transactions….
Embarrassing leaks, the cheap whip and his blind admirers – not unconventional in TH Labour group I guess…