Labour moved a step closer tonight to deciding who will be their candidate to challenge Lutfur Rahman as Mayor of Tower Hamlets in May next year.
I’m told by a couple of sources that a panel of eight members, including four from Tower Hamlets, have picked the following four to go to a vote of the local party on April 6:
- Cllr Rachael Saunders
- Cllr Helal Abbas
- Cllr Sirajul Islam
- London Assembly Member John Biggs
Among those kicked out at the interview stage are councillors David Edgar and Mizan Choudhury, ex-councillor Doros Ullah, and Sanu Miah.
I’m not sure yet who was on the selection panel (do let me know), but if I were David Edgar, I’d be feeling a little cheesed off right now.
It’s going to be an interesting contest. Wonder if there have been any complaints yet….
Trial by Jeory 
Can’t you people control yourselves? Do you constantly have to gossip like children? I’m so embarrassed to be a member of this CLP sometimes i really am.
I’m sure the feeling’s mutual!
I just can’t believe it My leader our leader the best ever chain mayor (Doros Ullah) didn’t get short listed, who applies for anything & everything.
I just can’t believe it My leader our leader the best ever chain mayor Doros Ullah didn’t get short listed who applies for anything and everything.
Is John Biggs the only one who has a hope in hell of unseating LR? As I have said before, has LR already acquired the next election?
If I were David Edgar, I wouldn’t be feeling “cheesed off”, I’d be querying just how far I expected all my sucking up to Lutfur Rahman – a man who walked out of the Labour movement to lead a bunch of cronies and Islamists to go and masquerade as “real Labour” – to get me within the Tower Hamlets Labour Party.
I suppose this means Edgar, Mark Francis, Ahmed Omar and Adbul Ullah all making excuses not to turn up to the Thursday budget meeting and therefore seeing East End Life carry on by default. I hope the Labour Party deselect anyone who plays that game on Thursday.
Which of the group are cronies, and which are Islamists, pray tell?
Labour set up East End Life, I need not remind you.
In February 2009 Josh, who then had Alibor’s job, was on his feet in the budget meeting defending it to the hilt in response to Tory criticism.
I wouldn’t be surprised if your group’s idea of moving the choice based lettings pages to the One Stop Shops breaches equality enactments.
David’s only problem is that he’s sensible and decent. If you’re going on a witch-hunt for that type of group member, god help you.
There weren’t many in Respect calling David that when he was pushing through the Housing Choice programme…
I’m not in Respect, so I couldn’t possibly comment…
But I don’t think Blairite social housing reforms were a positive step either.
Come to think of it, I’m not even sure David does nowadays.
I think you will find that East End Life was created by the Liberals in the early nineties!
My thoughts for what they’re worth (and I accept they’re not worth much 😉 ) are:
Saunders – Divisive, good at student politics, but the council chamber isn’t a student union debating society.
Abbas – a spent force, not trusted, comes across as really bitter (whether or not he has good cause to be bitter is another question)
Islam – his inclusion on the list would appear to be tokenistic. He’s a nice guy but c’mon! Afraid of any kind of confrontation. Means he’ll struggle with the role. Doesn’t have the clout or profile needed for the role.
Biggs – by far the strongest candidate on the list. Viewed as an elder statesman. But there’s a massive gulf between City Hall and Tower Hamlets and I’m not just talking about the Thames. Is he still in touch with the realities of TH?
Disappointed that Edgar didn’t make the list. IMHO, he would’ve been the strongest candidate on the list. Or at least given Biggs a serious run for his money.
What the hell was Mizanur Choudhury doing throwing his hat into the ring? He’s childish, immature, can’t be trusted. You only have to look at the threads here where he’s posted, pretending to be someone else, and it’s been all too obvious that it’s him. Based on that, you have to add stupid and/or wilfully ignorant to his CV.
Also disappointed neither Shiria Khatun nor Abdal Ullah appear on the list.
I think part of what leads to the best candidate getting the ticket is having a strong primary. The odds are clearly stacked in Biggs’ favour and means his candidacy might as well have been dictated by Labour HQ.
Why would anyone want to go through the torture of listening to the adviser to the former Mayor repeatedly telling us she was the adviser to the former Mayor? I would talk about flogging a dead horse but horses are a sensitive matter currently and being flogged mercilessly…come back when you have something more to say.
Lutfur, Rania, Ohid, Ribena, Galloway, Sherina Akhtar etc were all created by Labour.
An
Grave Maurice: That sounds like a quote from the Book of Genesis
It’s absolutely disgraceful that labour has has short listed Abbas again.
They need to come away from all these so called cronies and move forward go for cllr Rachael.
Doesn’t matter as Lutfur will win by miles
Agree Lutfur will win but it will be a very tough fight, I hope Cllr saunders wins.
I heard two labour cllrs (bengali) are switching to Lutfur’s group I wonder who they are ? And if its true
Depressing
Only in Bangladesh….. sorry, I mean East London.
As someone who has worked with David at all levels of the Party for the last 20 years and has seen his integrity ,dedication and competence every day at first hand I think its a disgrace he’s not being allowed to contest this selection. Have we learnt nothing from last time or the Nick Fox debacle?
Serious question…was he considered a serious challenger to Lutfur?
Also serious question…Who will you back now, Judith?
Yes he was and at present i am not backing and will not campaign for the selection of any other candidate and will decide whether and how to use my selection vote nearer the time.
Sounds to me like Judith’s encouraging David to ‘do a Lutfur’! ;->
Surely David has a right of appeal, and will exercise it?
But wouldn’t David being on the slate reduce John’s chances of winning…
Who was on the interview panel?
Just come across this article on the advertiser website. It has a irritating campaign video from John Biggs…..not quite sure many people will watch a 4:30min video with such irritating robotic voices. May even put them off Biggs rather than gain him support.
http://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/news/politics/labour_mayoral_selection_contest_gets_into_full_swing_1_1966100
I think it’s supposed to be a joke….
That’s the impression i got. Biggs has the best presents online by far it’s obviously not meant to be a main campaign video. Anybody who has ever worked in campaigns will recognised the technique. The video is self-explanatory ‘talk about john’ and that’s exactly what we’re doing. It’s a bit odd but if you then move on to the content.
Does Cllr Helal Cllr Sirajul have anything online i’m interested in having a look at their campaign has anybody had anything ? To be honest i expected Rachael to have a better website but i do like all her photographs, FB, and email shots very slick stuff.
Ted – you might say that I couldn’t possibly comment. Old Ford 1 – there is no right of appeal in this process and Davis has too much class and loyalty to the party to do a Lutfur as you put it. I’m simply setting out my position which is that having been deprived of the chance to vote for the person I believed to be the best candidate, I am not going to join the campaign for anyone else’s selection and how I vote in the selection will be a secret between me and the ballot box.
I’ve been on a selection panel before and have never ever heard of anybody being denied a right to appeal. Sounds a bit strange.
And if you’re a Labour member, who will you support?
John Biggs 100%
Dear HarveyMilk Jnr – yes it is very strange but believe me if there was a right of appeal he’d be exercising it!
Rachael all the way
For everyone’s information that’s how I think the outcome will be on 6th April.
1. Rachael (228)
2. John (150)
3. Abbus (105)
4. Shirajul (10)