The following article by Mayor Lutfur Rahman has just appeared on the website of Operation Black Vote. I’m reproducing it below:
Tower Hamlets Mayor Lutfur Rahman
How the mild man of Tower Hamlets made political historyLutfur Rahman, Britain’s and perhaps Europe’s first Black elected Mayor talks about his election and the future for minority communities in British Politics.
This week we celebrate Martin Luther King day. It has been more than 40 years since the great man gave his life for the cause of equality. With a black President in the White House and the Jim Crow laws a distant memory, a lot has changed in that time, but there should be no doubt that racial and religious prejudice are still holding back people from ethnic minorities, both in the US and here in Britain.
As you may know if you’ve followed the fractious world of Tower Hamlets politics, I’ve experienced some of that discrimination first hand. In the months leading up to my election, certain right-wing journalists and unscrupulous politicians pushed the idea that I was a Muslim supremacist who had been “brainwashed” into infiltrating mainstream politics with the aim of setting up an “Islamic republic” in east London. Thankfully, the electorate in Tower Hamlets rejected these ludicrous narratives, but it is clear racial and religious bias is still a big issue in this society.
Most examples of it are not as overt as the wild-eyed claims made against me, and they are certainly not enshrined in law as they were in the US, but the barriers do exist.
For me and many others of my generation, fighting racism has meant direct action -I cut my teeth in politics marching against the National Front in Brick Lane in the ’80s – but the next generation are facing more subtle and ingrained forms of bias
In today’s tough economic climate, and in the context of the government’s overzealous cuts, I think the next fight for ethnic minorities will be for social mobility. Of course, the cuts hit everyone, regardless of race, but ethnic minorities are proportionately poorer than the general population and that gap will tell in the years to come.
My biggest concern is for young people. Not only will social mobility issues hit them hardest, but there is a real fear they might disengage from politics altogether. This is the result of Increasing frustration with a political discourse that doesn’t speak for them; repeated knocks to the credibility of politics and politicians and the point blank failure of successive generations of politicians – most recently the Lib Dems to live up to their promises.
But it is to our young people we entrust the future of our democracy. And we need to do about more to engage the increasing number of young people from ethnic minorities. It is inspirational, even for old hands like me, to see the energy and belief they bring to important issues.
But few things are more dispiriting than a young person who doesn’t feel like they can change things. And that’s why nearly half a century after Dr King changed politics in the US, the work of Operation Black vote is still important.
I owe Simon Woolley and the others at OBV my personal thanks for bringing some scrutiny to the recent murky politics in Tower Hamlets; but as Britain’s first ethnic minority Mayor I want to thank them for helping to open the way for many politicians who otherwise might well have been judged by colour of their skin rather than the content of their character.
Within the next few months, Operation Black Vote and its director Simon Woolley will hit the headlines in relation to a trial of alleged racial harassment of him and the organisation by Terry Fitzpatrick.
Terry, as is generally known in Tower Hamlets politics, is close to Lutfur’s enemy Helal Abbas. For that reason, I shall be monitoring comments closely. I will delete anything that touches on that trial. Please keep comments general and within the policy laid out at the top of this blog.
Trial by Jeory 
Does smearing an opposition candidate as a wife beater count as progress?
“My biggest concern is for young people”.
Really? As I understand it the cuts we’re facing in TH are aimed pretty squarely at young people, as well as other vulnerable groups such as those needing home help. Youth clubs, parent advice, family intervention, special needs assistance in schools – all under attack. This mayor who was elected on an anti-cuts platform needs to do much more to show us how he’s fighting the cuts.
This one should be interesting. According to various websites when the NEC of the Labour Party voted overwhelmingly to expel Lutfur Harriet Harman was one of the most vocal that he had to go.
Now Harman used to be a big supporter of OBV but hasn’t been seen around them since the Jasper affair. In fact all of their activities seem to have tailed off after they were linked to several of the Jasper financed organisations that were exposed by Gilligan.
Interesting that Lutfur was exposed by the same journalist. Is this a case of birds of a feather flocking together or of the rats leaving the sinking ship?
I can distincly remember the anti NF demos Lutfur mentions being organised by, amongst others, Fitzpatrick.
Call me cynical but is there an application for funding in the pipeline from OBV to Tower Hamlets. One for you to watch Ted.
There is concern about how young people in Tower Hamlets must view politics, and Lutfur cannot escape part of the blame. I have found many at college age to be disgusted with politics because of the antics in our Borough, but more worrying is the small number I meet who are really enthused for all the wrong reasons; instead of seeing politics as a way to help others and change society for the better, they see it as an exciting way to fight their community rivalries.
How many people read your blog Ted? Not many – someone told me he has 6 different accounts, you may have few, Terri 3 may be, your friends Pecki 3, boring Tory group leader (who is grateful to Labourn for giving him decent salary through constitutional amendments) got 4 so only few people continuously heating the blog doesn’t mean it is popular? The above are rejected by people of Tower Hamlets, and you/AG too. People of Tower Hamlets know what is best for thier community.
Dear Lutfur
Why have you not sued Gilligan then?
yours
A Resident
We so deprived, innit. Tower Hamlet’s recieves more money per pupil than any other LEA in the country.
Noting wrong for OBV to apply for a grant to LBTH if they can provide services, why this should be a problem, is it because OBV represent black people and talk about their interest? Or is it a problem because they stood against the racism against Lutfur? I wonder why their central government funding cut, EDL sympathiser TH right winger coalition may be involved in this conspiracy. Lutfur must not even read this blog and concentrate on his business as local residents clearly gave their verdicts against those. Why Ted is silent about other white elephant organisation like Rich Mix and its directors? I ask you not to pick on only Black or Muslim organisations, urge you to investigate other organisation like Bromley By Bow Centtre, Leasdie Regenration, White Chapel Art Gallery etc, investigate the culprits who went to jail for corruption and their relationship with he previous leadership. Be fair otherwise you will be going on circle with only 7/8 people and their circle, wider audience will continue to reject your blog,
Ash Ted won’t write on what you suggested as that does not make any good reading. It’s far more interesting to read about ‘fundementalists linked’ and ‘Muslim linked’….
Emerald
I suggest you read the comments policy. You’ve posted a couple of comments that are completely off-topic. The discussions need to be focused. I’ve tried emailing you about your submissions, but unfortunately, if supplying a fake email address doesn’t really aid communication, does it? I’m happy for you to email me suggested topics for posts.
It’s a bit rich to complain about racism when practically the entire mayoral election campaign (between the Labour and Independent candidates – the two most likely to get the job) was aimed at the Bengali community and barely anything was communicated to anyone from any other background in the borough.
Also, when young people such as Rushnara Ali do try to change things and get ahead and get elected but then get negative comments on various websites (not necessarily connected to any individual in TH politics I hasten to add) about them not wearing the hijab or not dating within their community or whether or not they are truly part of their community then that won’t exactly encourage others (particularly women) to follow in their footsteps or partake in social mobility.
What I’m getting at is that you can throw all the money you like at a problem but it’s a social thing as well – about the community in which anyone is brought up saying that it’s okay to go out and get ahead and that somebody can do it. And that applies to any community.