UPDATED AT 5PM, APRIL 25 WITH MICHAEL KEITH’S COMMENTS AT BOTTOM
Mayor Lutfur Rahman issued this press release yesterday:
Labour Mayoral hopeful John Biggs was facing mounting criticism today on his questionable record on race issues as a leaked internal memo from the Labour Party revealed that concerns had been raised regarding Mr Biggs’s apparent prejudice as early as 1995.
Professor Michael Keith, now Director of the Centre for Migration Policy and Society at Oxford University and a former Labour council leader in the borough, wrote to Labour Councillors and MPs saying:
“In short, I would accuse John Biggs of racism” after Biggs was apparently involved in the production of an inflammatory election leaflet.
This is not the first time Biggs has been mired in a race row. In 1998 he campaigned against the creation of Banglatown to be added to Spitalfields Ward, and in 2013 his Labour Group made false claims that housing allocations were being targeted to Mayor Lutfur Rahman’s supporters – claims that were gleefully used as propaganda by the EDL.
Recently, Biggs caused controversy with irresponsible remarks on the Sunday Politics show claiming Mayor Rahman was only serving the Bangladeshi community, at a time when the EDL were planning to march through Tower Hamlets.
Cllr. Alibor Choudhury of Tower Hamlets First, who reported Biggs to the Equalities and Human Rights Commission for the remarks said:
“John Biggs’ 20 year record of dubious racially-charged remarks is there for anyone to see. This latest revelation shows that he doesn’t have the cultural sensitivity to run a diverse borough like Tower Hamlets.”
I’ve asked Lutfur’s camp to produce the leaflet that was at the centre of the row between Michael and John, but they say they don’t have it.
Context is everything, so let me try and give some. If you thought politics in Tower Hamlets was poisonous now, it was a different matter in the Nineties. The characters now act like dim kids in a playground; back then it was proper adult hooliganism.
Race and racism was genuinely the major issue then. Derek Beackon had been elected as BNP councillor in Millwall in 1993 and was kicked out a year later. The Lib Dems were at the centre of an inquiry by their own party leader, Paddy Ashdown, who was deeply concerned that activists had been engaged in racist campaigning.
Pretty much everything was evaluated in terms of race. As now, back then it was also used as a political stick.
We don’t have the leaflet, so we can’t evaluate it, but my understanding is that Michael Keith is appalled that something taken completely out of context 20 years ago is being used now as a smear. I’m sure we could all look back at things we’ve said 20 years ago and wish we’d phrased differently. I’m also sure Alibor will look back at his own behaviour now in 20 years and feel disgust with himself.
I understand Michael Keith might be issuing a statement on this today. My understanding is there was no way he thought John racist, either then or now. In fact, he is one of the people who has signed John’s nomination papers.
As for Alibor’s complaint to the Equalities and Human Rights Commission…well, what he doesn’t disclose is that they’ve told him it’s not one for them. The EHCR has in fact written to him twice to warn him against using misconstruing any of their replies to him on the matter.
If he feels so strongly about John’s words on the BBC Politics programme (when he pointed out that Lutfur’s cabinet was exclusively Bengali and appeared to be focusing too much on one section of the community – a statement of fact and fair comment, actually), then he has the option of going to the police. But he won’t because even he would know that’d be wasting police time.
After all, the police have drug dealers and gang members to catch on Alibor’s Ocean estate, don’t they.
However, back to Lutfur’s press release. I asked John for his thoughts. There are two camps on how to react to these attacks. One wants him to ignore them, the other wants him to punch back.
His statement to me below is measured and dignified in my view and straddles both camps.
This endless mud slinging and negative messaging demeans the mayor and shows both a desperation and that he has given up trying to reach across the borough and is working a ‘core vote ‘ strategy in which he clearly hopes that most people will stay at home and that his supporters, galvanised by repeated spurious allegations against me will get them back into the town hall.
There is of course a danger it will work but it shows that their cupboard is pretty bare.
The repeated use of the racism smear both insults real victims and diminishes them. I am proud of my record attacking intolerance. Ironically they are defining themselves as the next obstacle to the sort of tolerant community we need. It helps me to understand quite how important it is to defeat them.
I hear they are announcing their manifesto today. It will be interesting to see how many of our policies they will steal!
UPDATE:
Tower Hamlets Labour have issued the following statement from Michael Keith:
To dredge up out of context comments that were made almost twenty years ago to smear someone’s character scrapes the gutter. I’ve known John Biggs for decades and, while we have had our differences at times, there is no doubt in my mind that he works for the benefit of the whole community in Tower Hamlets. To try to paint him as a racist is a cynical act of electoral dirty politics.
He is the best candidate to represent all the communities of the borough in these difficult times and I am happy to support him.
Trial by Jeory 
‘…doesn’t have the cultural sensitivity to run a diverse borough like Tower Hamlets.’
Diverse? That’s a laugh. It’s all ‘ing muslims where I live.
Ted wrote:-
Do they ?
I thought crime was continuing to go down. Well, that is what the police say.
Curious Cat
Apparently Alibor has more than a passing acquaintance with gang culture.
Always best to go with facts rather than accusations
Try this map of the Met Police Statistics – it should come up with Mile End and Globe Town. http://www.police.uk/metropolitan/00BGGE/crime/
Ocean Estate shows up as a bit of a crime hotspot in the south of the area
These are the more detailed stats – for February 2014 http://www.police.uk/metropolitan/00BGGE/crime/stats/
When you actually start to unpick it what’s evident is a lot of it is anti-social behaviour plus violence to people and sexual offences.
Numbers are going down relative to the summer – surprise surprise – however they’re the same as this time last year i.e. no real decrease.
Crime is down because all the criminals are in politics now
I’ve just had an email from someone to say that Lutfur bottled out of a debate with John Biggs on the 16th on the Bangladeshi TV channel NTV. Does anyone know anything about this?
Know I don’t know anything about this but I’d like to …
Chase it up Tim. Google them, their office is down just St Paul’s Way somewhere.
Why on NTV? Why not in an open forum where residents can attend. What is Lutfur afraid of?
Actually Bangla TV stations are very important, this is where opinions are formed. They supported Rahman last time but could now be hedging their bets.
even more important now we know that an owner of one of them is running as a candidate!
If Michael didn’t consider him racist then or now, are you saying that he used the phrase merely as a smear, for opportunistic reasons?
Bit embarrassing for a senior academic in the field of race and society – someone supposed to speak with gravitas and authority on such matters – to admit to that, surely…
Words develop different meanings over time. Perhaps MK had an odd definition of the word ‘racism’ to suit his argument back then..
Yep. Gay used to mean “Happy”.
So someone who was at the time an academic in the field of race is now claiming his using that word to describe John Biggs was merely a ‘cynical act of electoral dirty politics’.
His credibility takes a blow.
Read what is written oldford1 whoever you are. It has apparently been taken out of context but you do that yourself all the time while shilling for Lutfur.
Even in context, he still used the words ‘I would accuse John Biggs of racism’ – and I don’t believe it was out of context, the context was given (that it was in connection with an ‘inflammatory leaflet’ unless that’s was untrue.)
I know John well enough to know that he isn’t a racist, it’s a cheap and dirty smear by Lutfur & his loony gang.
I am a British Bangladeshi and I am happy to support John, he will be a Mayor for all. He also doesnt have side kicks hanging around with him wherever he goes, he is able to stand up for himself and tell it the way it is. I am confident he will win and hope our community wakes up and realise the mess Lutfur has caused for us all.
The other sinister character that needs to be booted out is the most hated man in TH politics Peter Golds, his hatered towards the Muslim community is very clear and his negative work has damaged the reputation of the borough. Our local group will actively campaign against him in the coming weeks. Watch this space.
Who or what is your local group?
Peter Golds is loved and admired! He is the ONLY politician shining a light on the corrupt, homophobic, institutionally racist clique that is running the borough. You are very much mistaken, Ash, Peter Golds is much respected, but perhaps but maybe not so much by those who stand benefit from Lutfur’s warped agenda.
Agree with your first and last paragraph. Not sure the TH mess is all Lutfur’s making though, Labour have a huge part in all this.
Ash – I agree with the first part of your post, but totally disagree with your comments about Peter Golds. You may think he is the “most hated man in TH politics” but hated by who? Probably by those councillors who don’t like his investigations, often under FOI. You say he has “damaged the reputation of the borough”, I think you will find that others have done this far better than him. Perhaps you will tell us how he has done this damage?
I’m with John on this one.
Asking questions people don’t want to answer is what councillors are supposed to do. It’s always struck me that Peter Golds has got a much better idea of public accountability as it is supposed to operate than a lot of the politicians at Clove Crescent.
You don’t have to agree or disagree with his politics to support the notion that making people accountable for their actions is a good idea!
Interesting that this academic says nothing about Lutfur’s extremist links.
Well said John Wright. It necessary to separate politics from the person. have a look at this. http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/apr/17/lutfur-rahman-stand-on-record. What is Livingstone up to/ Either he is supporting Labour or he isn’t and if he isn’t then he should be expelled as should Shawcroft.
That letter does rather look like there will be a major stink at national level within the Labour Party. Could Livingstone have just signed his own death warrant in terms of recognised party politics?
Given it’s dated the 17th anybody know what happened next?
I don’t, does anyone? If Milliband doesn’t get a grip of this he is toast at the next election. The Tories will make much of his inability to control the extremists within his party. I have heard that Livingstone still has pull with London Labour but is isolated on the NEC. I’m not in the party, does anyone have any information?
Does anyone know how to start one of those online petitions? Let’s start one to Milliband to expel Livingstone.
Livingstone explained himself here http://lutfurrahman.com/press-release-senior-labour-figures-community-leaders-back-lutfur-rahman/
I numped into Alibor a few days and he was moaning then about John’s “loose way with words”. He claimed that John was unaware of the impact, and that Alibor and others received a lot of grief, hate mail etc every time something was said. I don’t think that John should have to take responsibility for the actions of a lunatic fringe. It seems that Lutfur & Co dont worry about the impact on John when the position is reversed either. I agree that John is in now way any sort of racist.
Alibor is always so careful with his words isn’t he? Pots, kettles, black cardigans.
He will live to regret that black cardigan comment…….
Disrespect to a woman in mourning leaves him ranking alongside bottom feeders in my book.
It would seem Local Resident that Alibor has made a very specific allegation, hate mail. That is a criminal offence and I assume that he has reported it to the police.
Biggs in The Evening Standard http://www.standard.co.uk/news/politics/john-biggs-lutfur-rahmans-rival-says-there-is-all-to-play-for-in-tower-hamlets-mayoral-race-9274987.html
Obviously Livingstone, Woolley and Shawcroft are now nonentities but does the TUC and Unite the union know what is being said in their names because there was no” in a personal capacity” get out clause here? They speak for their organisations and presumably have been given authority to do so. If not then they should be reprimanded.
As for Len Silver of the East London Synagogue, does The Board of Deputies know about this? Rahman has been photographed with Abdul Rahman al Sudais who has compared Jews to snakes and monkeys. Oh sorry, Rahman said he had been misquoted so that’s all right then.
there’s a very interesting article in The Wharf with comments from every candidate http://www.wharf.co.uk/2014/04/tower-hamlets-election-public.html
Let’s hope that all newspapers will remember the need to be fair to all candidates and let them all have their say.
I can’t help feeling Mayor Rahman’s late update to the piece might have been prompted by some of the content towards the end. Spot the Poll results!
If those were the results on the day it would be great but it’s the Wharf not Tower Hamlets. I’m going to see if Paddy Power will give odds. I won three hundred quid on Boris to beat Livingstone first time around but I got the tip from Labour full timers who were betting against their own man!They obviously knew something.
I’ve just dropped an email to the Jewish Chronicle about the whole mess in Tower Hamlets but it got me thinking. What is Leon Silver signing letters along with Livingstone who is a big mate of Qaradawi who has said ” Throughout history Allah has imposed on the [jews] people who would destroy them for their corruption. The last punishment was carried out by Hitler. By means of all the things he did to them- even though they exaggerated this issue-he managed to put them in their place. This was divine punishment for them. Allah willing the next time will be at the hands of the believers”.
Disgusting, not to Livingstone, he merely says Qaradawi has been misquoted. Similarly Simon Woolley is a big fan of Louis Farakhan being allowed into this country, he is currently banned. He is of the opinion that ” White people are are potential humans, they haven’t evolved yet”. Philadelphia Enquirer March 2000. He also said that Hitler was a great man, probably misquoted again.
And of course Lutfur is pals with Al Sudais banned again and a man who thinks Jews are Pigs and snakes. What is Leon Silverman doing with this lot? And what is the TUC and Unite doing as well?
Al Sudais is the imam of the grand mosque in Mecca. If you walk around any Muslim area anywhere in the world, I can guarantee you will hear people playing recitation of the Quraan from him. If you’ve been to Whitechapel market, you would have heard him loud and clear.
He doesn’t speak English and I have never heard any of his speach ever played or translated anywhere. He is not known as public speaker, simply a beautiful reader of the Quraan and the respected imam of the holy mosque.
For Muslims all over the world it is an honor and apprevelige to meet him and no one would ever apologise for this including I hope Rahman.
As long as he is the imam of mecca he will be loved, respected and welcomed by Muslims all over the world!
I have no doubt that everything you say about the man is true. He also hates Jews, is banned from this country and is a mate of Lutfur Rahman. Deal with this.
The photo that was taken of him with Rahman, which I will try and find and get up on line, was taken when he left the Town Hall after a private meeting with Lutfur. The Great Leader’s explanation is that he was hard at work in his office when Sudais just happened to walk in and they had a cup of tea together.
I was tipped off about the meeting and was able to get a photographer there just in time. I hope when it is used and reused that the Spanish lady concerned is paid for it.
I wonder who did the thumbs down on this one, Marc Francis/ If John wins I hope Marc isn’t hoping for any good jobs. mind you, he is such a creep he’ll slime his way in somewhere.
You have to it wrong mad mullah. The man who came to see Lutfur in the town hall was not al Sudais, he is not banned from UK.
It was Kalbani. He was declined entry last year.