![Kay Jordan marched in Hanbury Street, Princelet street on 17 January 2006 [pictured below]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmFpkcZgAW1eZKWId6O-xApvo7_zu4rL0QLz_ByB_FHaKbyUkAFfaPT1RdxXqjX-YVvveRu2zdPyr0pXqiFK-0SAjQd5vyTwGgGDnyU600Gk-gu-MueRhRIg_UhFT66fo8gzCl2tM4BX-8/s760/KHOODEELAAR%2521+No+to+Crossrail+Hole%252C+Demo+in+Hanbury%252C+Spelman%252C+Princelet+Streets+and+Brick+Lane+London+E1+17+January+2006.jpeg)
Mayor bailed in corruption probe
Mark Meredith
Mark Meredith was arrested by police on Friday morning
Final months in power for mayor
Stoke-on-Trent's elected mayor has been arrested in connection with an investigation into alleged corruption.
Labour's Mark Meredith, 43, was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in a public office and complicity in corruption while in public office.
He was later released on bail to a date in June after being questioned.
It follows the arrest on 27 February of Stoke city councillor Roger Ibbs on suspicion of corruption in public office. He stood down on Monday.
Mr Ibbs had been the group leader of the Conservative and Independent Alliance on the council.
Mr Ibbs, who had also been the council's portfolio holder for education, said his arrest followed a complaint he made to the council.
The decision making of the council continues... and we will continue to deliver services for the people of Stoke-on-Trent
Chris Harman, acting chief executive of Stoke-on-Trent City Council
In a statement, Staffordshire Police said its investigation was launched after the city council referred a matter to officers in December following an internal inquiry.
The police probe is thought to be focusing on council proposals for a leisure centre which led to the authority carrying out a review after the plans were scrapped.
Officers said there had been a need to ask a second man to help them with their inquiries.
They earlier confirmed a man in his 40s was arrested being questioned.
Mark Meredith has been in the post of elected mayor since May 2005.
He was due to travel to Cannes in France next week to attend a regeneration conference on behalf of the council.
A West Midlands Labour Party spokesman said: "It would be inappropriate to comment on an ongoing police investigation; however, we always expect all Labour Party representatives and members to co-operate fully with the police."
In October, voters opted to get rid of the post of elected mayor in Stoke-on-Trent and Mr Meredith is due to stand down in June.
'Not good news'
The council is currently in the process of appointing a new chief executive.
Mark Fisher, Labour MP for Stoke-on-Trent Central told BBC News that the arrests were "not good news for the city" but the interim chief executive would be able to "pick up the reigns" of the council.
Stoke-on-Trent South Labour MP Rob Flello declined to comment on the police inquiry.
Chris Harman, acting chief executive, said he wanted to reassure people that its services would be unaffected.
"The main message that I would like to get out is that it's business as usual," he said.
"The decision making of the council continues... and we will continue to deliver services for the people of Stoke-on-Trent."
Monday, 19 July 2010
BHANGEELAAR! The campaign against the attempt at changing the constitution of the Tower Hamlets Council is VINDICATED YET again!
1610 Hrs GMT
London
Monday
19 July 2010
Editor © Muhammad Haque
BHANGEELAAR! The campaign against the attempt at changing the constitution of the Tower Hamlets Council is VINDICATED YET again!
Question: How so?
Answer: As before, the corrupt bureaucracy in and controlling the party that used to be called the Labour Party in the UK has exhibited its banality by publishing a second short list of alleged seekers of the post of mayor at the expense of the people of Tower Hamlets.
The second list has, predictably, created yet another Lilliputian furore while leaving out the real world and most of the real Tower Hamlets people.
The likes of Harriet Hermen and assorted others ‘in the high command’ of the lowest common denominational set up that goes for the former Labour Party have failed to show that they are even familiar with honesty, let alone democracy far less accountability.
Why?
Because the so-called final short list contains elements that simply do not merit inclusion even in that sub-list devised by an even lower regard to ethics than had been seen hitherto!
So we say again: admit your flawed fanaticism and join us in exposing the town clerk Kevan Collins for his collusion with the fraudulence that was involved in the allegedly concluded referendum on 6 May 2010.
How did Kevan Collins fail in his duty as the de facto holder of the post of ‘Returning Officer’?
On the face of it, he may not have been as blatantly callous as had been alleged by George Galloway when he had made the statement against Collins’ then predecessor, Christine Gilbert [06 May 2005].
But Collins has been a failure.
He has failed to monitor the CONDUCT of the campaign over the future constitution of the Borough Council.
[To be continued]
London
Monday
19 July 2010
Editor © Muhammad Haque
BHANGEELAAR! The campaign against the attempt at changing the constitution of the Tower Hamlets Council is VINDICATED YET again!
Question: How so?
Answer: As before, the corrupt bureaucracy in and controlling the party that used to be called the Labour Party in the UK has exhibited its banality by publishing a second short list of alleged seekers of the post of mayor at the expense of the people of Tower Hamlets.
The second list has, predictably, created yet another Lilliputian furore while leaving out the real world and most of the real Tower Hamlets people.
The likes of Harriet Hermen and assorted others ‘in the high command’ of the lowest common denominational set up that goes for the former Labour Party have failed to show that they are even familiar with honesty, let alone democracy far less accountability.
Why?
Because the so-called final short list contains elements that simply do not merit inclusion even in that sub-list devised by an even lower regard to ethics than had been seen hitherto!
So we say again: admit your flawed fanaticism and join us in exposing the town clerk Kevan Collins for his collusion with the fraudulence that was involved in the allegedly concluded referendum on 6 May 2010.
How did Kevan Collins fail in his duty as the de facto holder of the post of ‘Returning Officer’?
On the face of it, he may not have been as blatantly callous as had been alleged by George Galloway when he had made the statement against Collins’ then predecessor, Christine Gilbert [06 May 2005].
But Collins has been a failure.
He has failed to monitor the CONDUCT of the campaign over the future constitution of the Borough Council.
[To be continued]
Sunday, 18 July 2010
The BHANGEELAAR! Campaign has been vindicated. Again. This is based on the latest bragging by the Guardian's blogger & his opposite on D Telegraph
2055 Hrs GMT
London
Sunday
18 July 2010
Editor © Muhammad Haque
The BHANGEELAAR! Campaign has been vindicated. Again. This is based on the latest bragging by the Guardian's blogger and the counterpart on the Daily Telegraph
A 'directly elected' ' executive' 'mayor' at the expense of democratic accountability in Tower Hamlets, is being promoted by the two ‘blogger’ representing the agendas associated with ken Livingstone [Guardian - Dave Hill] and the [London] incumbent Boris Johnson [Daily Telegraph - Andrew Gilligan].
Gilligan of course has an additional role; if the ‘comments’ attached to his blog is any guide. These comments so far are dedicated to represent the very clear interests opposing Muslims!
How Mr Gilligan has achieved that position is a subject warranting a through study in its own ‘wrongs’.
That study may take place later.
But for the records, we reproduce both Dave Hill’s ‘update’ and Andrew Gilligan’s diversionary item.
First DAVE Hill
Tower Hamlets: Labour produces its intriguing new mayoral shortlist
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Tweet this (11)
Comments (4)
I brought you up to speed last week about Labour's decision to re-run its process for shortlisting contenders to become the first executive mayor of Tower Hamlets. The names on that new shortlist emerged yesterday afternoon.
The original had contained three: the borough's former leader and current London assembly member John Biggs, and two councillors: Shiria Khatun and Sirajul Islam. Both Biggs and Khatun have made it on to the second shortlist too, while Islam has not. They've been joined by three others, all of whom were unsuccessful last time. They are health service manager Rosna Mortuza, the Council's present leader Helal Abbas and another previous leader, Michael Keith.
If the new shortlist doesn't provoke further accusations of foul play, this won't be Tower Hamlets. Lutfur Rahman, the leader who preceded Abbas, has again been excluded, and it will be interesting to see how he responds to this second rebuff given that it was his complaint that led to the re-run in the first place. I'd suggest that a public expression of shocked surprise is not a viable option.
The selection of Michael Keith is fascinating because he led a campaign against the borough's adopting a mayoral system in the first place on the grounds that it would create division in the community (this view inspired an unfriendly response from a Mr Ken Livingstone, with unfortunate consequences for the latter).
The inclusion of Abbas suggests the battle could now be closer than some observers had predicted it would have been. Biggs had been considered a strong favourite, but Abbas and indeed Keith have, like him, leadership experience. That is not to discount the chances of the two women in the race. Who knows which way this contest will turn out?
I've previously spoken to two of the five on the new shortlist about their view of the borough and how they'd go about being its mayor - Biggs and Mortuza. I would mind carrying interviews with the other three either, but with voting to take place on 31 July, I'm not sure if there's time. We'll see.
Footnote: The latest development in the Labour selection story has, as I mentioned last week, left me with an email interview with Sirajul Islam which has now become marginal to the story due to his failure to be included on the new shortlist. However, I've decided to publish it below. He may no longer be a mayoral contender but Islam remains a Tower Hamlets councillor and his views are worth reading.
Dave Hill: Does Tower Hamlets need an executive mayor and why?
Sirajul Islam: The Referendum on Executive Mayor indicates that the people of Tower Hamlets felt the need for an Executive Mayor, although their decision appears to have been influenced by the change in the neighbouring boroughs such as Newham, Lewisham and Hackney. Change is constant and the people have the right to choose. They have chosen to have an elected Mayor believing that the new system will make the Mayor directly accountable to the public and this will ensure quality leadership that will address some historical problems in the borough. Tower Hamlets has underwent numerous experiments under different regimes and the Executive Mayor will be responsible for delivering coherent services to meet the local demand.
DH: How would you describe Tower Hamlets to someone who doesn't know the borough?
SI: Tower Hamlets is racially diverse and culturally picturesque. It is a vibrant borough that has historically been a zone of transition, providing shelters to peoples from different parts of world. In particular, (the French) Huguenots and (European) Jews immigrated to escaped religious persecution, Irish immigrated to flee from the Potato Famine and, after the second world war, artisans from the former British colonies such as Bangladesh, India and Pakistan immigrated to fill the shortage in workforce. Recently, people from Somali and Eastern European countries have added to the local social composition. They all have made distinct contributions to socio-economy of Tower Hamlets, which is now a vibrant multicultural borough and people are proud of this diversity. Economically the borough is divided into two nations – Canary Wharf in the south with iconic office and apartment buildings represent financial capital of Europe and council blocks and corner shops in the northern part are the legacy of the poverty-stricken East End. Tower Hamlets has all the inherent inner city characteristics where dreams and despair coexist.
DH: What are the main issues facing the Council and how would, as Mayor, try to tackle them?
SI: Issues are multidimensional, ranging from homelessness to antisocial behaviour, but housing shortage appears to be the root cause of other issues. For instance – overcrowding has direct impact on education, health and general wellbeing of a family. It is evident in Tower Hamlets that young people often loiter on and around council estates and street corners, which leads to antisocial behaviour. This is because they do not have adequate accommodation at home. This also affects their performance at school and attainment at the end of their secondary education. Underachievement often leads to unemployment and long-term disengagement, which is a vicious cycle and it is difficult to come out from such an entrapment. It will be a priority for the council to formulate a policy that will redress the housing and other interrelated issues. It would be absolutely necessary to improve the standard of education and training provision, maximise employment and opportunities and combat antisocial behaviour.
DH: Tower Hamlets has become known for political in-fighting, factions and extremism. Is that fair and how would you prevent it from continuing?
SI: Tower Hamlets has been historically the fertile ground for the racist, fascist and extremist, who propagating hatred based on race, ethnicity, religion and so on and thrive on insanity. This is because the East End has been the poorest part of London and the fascists have always in different disguise used different issues at different time to scapegoat the poor and vulnerable community. In the past, it was the Jews and now it is the Muslims. The target and the victims are new, but ideology and menace are the same old abhorrence. Whosoever prescribes to fascist ideology will be publicly rejected. Tower Hamlets has strong community cohesion at grassroots. BNP is a well known racist Party and has caused frenzy in the past and now the English Defence League is lurking in the dark.
Despite the existence of these undesirable elements in society, we have to live together and the people of Tower Hamlets have rejected all forms of extremism time and time again. As a matter of conviction, people of the United Kingdom have wiped out BNP from the political map of the country at the last elections. People of Tower Hamlets do not want any external infiltration; let it be BNP or any neo-fascist gangs, because we do not want to see any replay of the Battle of Cable Street. We will reject any individual or organisation that intends to cause any mishap by pouring wrong information in public domain or provoking the people of Tower Hamlets. We will vehemently advise all interest groups to refrain from labelling Tower Hamlets this or that.
It is a borough with profound diversity and our socio-economic issues are colossal. Let's overcome these issues which are more deep-rooted than what is seen by a naked eye. It must be borne in mind that the people of Tower Hamlets are by and large tenants; they cannot afford to buy their own house nor can they afford to send their children to public school. Life is hard here and the people have become harder – they have learned to resist extremism. The ground reality in Tower Hamlets is unique that would be very difficult, if not implausible, to measure by social indicators.
DH: What particular qualities do you have to offer as a potential mayor?
SI: "A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step" and the elected mayoralty in Tower Hamlets is the inception of a long journey that I began in 2001 when I was elected as a councillor for the first time. I have 20 years' experience of community activism, which means I am cognizant with the community aspirations and wishes. I have been a pragmatist, result driven councillor, serving the community actively and representing the people of Bethnal Green South for the past 12 years. Having brought up in a council estate in the borough of Tower Hamlets, I witnessed and experienced the socio-economic transformation and I have profoundly contributed to this change under the Labour Party. I have a vision to entwine this development to give maximum benefit to the people of Tower Hamlets. As a diligent and approachable councillor with practical hands-on experience and vision, I strive to achieve the best result for my constituents.
I believe in 'One Vision One Community' principle, which I will precipitate with confidence and distinct leadership skill. Having been a councillor for the third term, I have gained invaluable decision-making skills and experience with proven track records of both campaigning at the grassroots level, coordinating the boardroom, delegating responsibility, contributing to decision-making process and providing meaningful advice for efficacious resolution. I have gained extensive and in-depth knowledge of the Council services ranging from education, housing, social services, planning, and environment and leisure services.
My council portfolio include Deputy Leader of Tower Hamlets (2006-09), Lead Member for Social Services and Health (2006-09), Chief Whip (2005-06), Chairman of Overview and Scrutiny Committee (2009-10) and currently the Lead Member for Regeneration and Employment. As a former Deputy Leader of the Council, I played a significant role in the corporate achievement of the Council. During that time, as part of the comprehensive assessment regime, the Council was graded as a four stars authority. As Deputy Leader of the Council, I managed a diverse portfolio of Council Services which included Equality, Workforce to Reflect the Community, Customer Access, Housing, Communication and Consultation and Involvement. As Deputy Leader I was responsible for implementing and overseeing the Council's award winning Women in to Public Life Project.
I have attained experience on policies and standards; evaluating performance, outcomes and outputs of policy implementation. During the era of my Cabinet Lead for the Social Services, the department achieved top performing 3 stars rating for the Tower Hamlets Council.
Outside the council, I am committed to representing my local groups and I was the former Chairperson of Holy Trinity and Bethnal Green South Ward, Vice Chairperson of TH Local Government Committee and Member of National Parliamentary Panel (NPP).
During 2009-10, I was Labour Group's Policy and Campaigns Officer. I wrote the 2010 local government election campaign strategy for the Tower hamlets labour Party. Through political leadership I was able to deal with Social Services budget difficulties in 2002. I was able to take on this challenge and transform the service to being the best in this country. I delivered the awards winning culturally appropriate Sonali Gardens Extra-Care Sheltered Accommodation and Day Centre for the elderly people of Tower Hamlets. I pioneered the Multi-faith Burial Subsidy Scheme.
In Tower Hamlets, there are 51 elected councillors, of whom 41 are Labour, and they all have brought wealth of diverse experience with them. It will be vital to ensure the practice of democracy is maximised by having the already elected councillors in key positions. Policy formulation and execution require dedicated team efforts; let it be a prime ministerial or presidential cabinet, although I will prefer to have a prime ministerial prototype so that the decision-making process will have wider and collective participation. It will be crucial for any executive mayor to empower the elected councillors with well-defined portfolio to remove management inertia and make the council services competitive and value for money by achieving effective and efficient result. I will ensure the council is accountable and transparent – every penny will be spent wisely. I will provide strategic vision and competent political leadership.
My thanks again to Councillor Islam.
Andrew Gilligan's London:
Fundamentalist-linked councillor stuffed again
By Andrew Gilligan Politics Last updated: July 18th, 2010
13 Comments Comment on this article
Lutfur Rahman, the fundamentalist-linked Labour councillor, has again been barred by the Labour Party from the shortlist for the Tower Hamlets mayoralty – even though it was his threat of legal action which prompted them to re-run the shortlisting process in the first place.
In the revised shortlist drawn up last night, members will now choose between Helal Abbas, Rahman’s successor as Tower Hamlets council leader, John Biggs, the deputy leader of the London Assembly Labour group, Michael Keith, another former Tower Hamlets council leader, a TH councillor, Shiria Khatun, and another woman, Rosna Mortuza.
Cllr Rahman achieved the leadership of Tower Hamlets council in 2008 with the help of a fundamentalist group, the Islamic Forum of Europe, which lobbied and pressured councillors on his part. Under his leadership, the council showed clear signs of coming under Islamic fundamentalist influence.
My exposure of this in the Telegraph and a Channel 4 documentary appears to have been fatal to Cllr Rahman’s political career. The last straw was probably his using a solicitor linked to the pro-terrorist group al-Muhajiroun to make his legal threat!
The interesting question now is whether Lutfur will stand as an independent, or for George Galloway’s Respect party. He does have some rich backers – local businessmen who gave him a celebration meal when the original shortlist was overturned – and he does have a vote-bank in his own neighbourhood; but the odds must be against him winning the mayoralty of the entire borough from such a position.
Tags: fundamentalism, islamic forum of europe, lutfur rahman
London
Sunday
18 July 2010
Editor © Muhammad Haque
The BHANGEELAAR! Campaign has been vindicated. Again. This is based on the latest bragging by the Guardian's blogger and the counterpart on the Daily Telegraph
A 'directly elected' ' executive' 'mayor' at the expense of democratic accountability in Tower Hamlets, is being promoted by the two ‘blogger’ representing the agendas associated with ken Livingstone [Guardian - Dave Hill] and the [London] incumbent Boris Johnson [Daily Telegraph - Andrew Gilligan].
Gilligan of course has an additional role; if the ‘comments’ attached to his blog is any guide. These comments so far are dedicated to represent the very clear interests opposing Muslims!
How Mr Gilligan has achieved that position is a subject warranting a through study in its own ‘wrongs’.
That study may take place later.
But for the records, we reproduce both Dave Hill’s ‘update’ and Andrew Gilligan’s diversionary item.
First DAVE Hill
Tower Hamlets: Labour produces its intriguing new mayoral shortlist
(1)
Tweet this (11)
Comments (4)
I brought you up to speed last week about Labour's decision to re-run its process for shortlisting contenders to become the first executive mayor of Tower Hamlets. The names on that new shortlist emerged yesterday afternoon.
The original had contained three: the borough's former leader and current London assembly member John Biggs, and two councillors: Shiria Khatun and Sirajul Islam. Both Biggs and Khatun have made it on to the second shortlist too, while Islam has not. They've been joined by three others, all of whom were unsuccessful last time. They are health service manager Rosna Mortuza, the Council's present leader Helal Abbas and another previous leader, Michael Keith.
If the new shortlist doesn't provoke further accusations of foul play, this won't be Tower Hamlets. Lutfur Rahman, the leader who preceded Abbas, has again been excluded, and it will be interesting to see how he responds to this second rebuff given that it was his complaint that led to the re-run in the first place. I'd suggest that a public expression of shocked surprise is not a viable option.
The selection of Michael Keith is fascinating because he led a campaign against the borough's adopting a mayoral system in the first place on the grounds that it would create division in the community (this view inspired an unfriendly response from a Mr Ken Livingstone, with unfortunate consequences for the latter).
The inclusion of Abbas suggests the battle could now be closer than some observers had predicted it would have been. Biggs had been considered a strong favourite, but Abbas and indeed Keith have, like him, leadership experience. That is not to discount the chances of the two women in the race. Who knows which way this contest will turn out?
I've previously spoken to two of the five on the new shortlist about their view of the borough and how they'd go about being its mayor - Biggs and Mortuza. I would mind carrying interviews with the other three either, but with voting to take place on 31 July, I'm not sure if there's time. We'll see.
Footnote: The latest development in the Labour selection story has, as I mentioned last week, left me with an email interview with Sirajul Islam which has now become marginal to the story due to his failure to be included on the new shortlist. However, I've decided to publish it below. He may no longer be a mayoral contender but Islam remains a Tower Hamlets councillor and his views are worth reading.
Dave Hill: Does Tower Hamlets need an executive mayor and why?
Sirajul Islam: The Referendum on Executive Mayor indicates that the people of Tower Hamlets felt the need for an Executive Mayor, although their decision appears to have been influenced by the change in the neighbouring boroughs such as Newham, Lewisham and Hackney. Change is constant and the people have the right to choose. They have chosen to have an elected Mayor believing that the new system will make the Mayor directly accountable to the public and this will ensure quality leadership that will address some historical problems in the borough. Tower Hamlets has underwent numerous experiments under different regimes and the Executive Mayor will be responsible for delivering coherent services to meet the local demand.
DH: How would you describe Tower Hamlets to someone who doesn't know the borough?
SI: Tower Hamlets is racially diverse and culturally picturesque. It is a vibrant borough that has historically been a zone of transition, providing shelters to peoples from different parts of world. In particular, (the French) Huguenots and (European) Jews immigrated to escaped religious persecution, Irish immigrated to flee from the Potato Famine and, after the second world war, artisans from the former British colonies such as Bangladesh, India and Pakistan immigrated to fill the shortage in workforce. Recently, people from Somali and Eastern European countries have added to the local social composition. They all have made distinct contributions to socio-economy of Tower Hamlets, which is now a vibrant multicultural borough and people are proud of this diversity. Economically the borough is divided into two nations – Canary Wharf in the south with iconic office and apartment buildings represent financial capital of Europe and council blocks and corner shops in the northern part are the legacy of the poverty-stricken East End. Tower Hamlets has all the inherent inner city characteristics where dreams and despair coexist.
DH: What are the main issues facing the Council and how would, as Mayor, try to tackle them?
SI: Issues are multidimensional, ranging from homelessness to antisocial behaviour, but housing shortage appears to be the root cause of other issues. For instance – overcrowding has direct impact on education, health and general wellbeing of a family. It is evident in Tower Hamlets that young people often loiter on and around council estates and street corners, which leads to antisocial behaviour. This is because they do not have adequate accommodation at home. This also affects their performance at school and attainment at the end of their secondary education. Underachievement often leads to unemployment and long-term disengagement, which is a vicious cycle and it is difficult to come out from such an entrapment. It will be a priority for the council to formulate a policy that will redress the housing and other interrelated issues. It would be absolutely necessary to improve the standard of education and training provision, maximise employment and opportunities and combat antisocial behaviour.
DH: Tower Hamlets has become known for political in-fighting, factions and extremism. Is that fair and how would you prevent it from continuing?
SI: Tower Hamlets has been historically the fertile ground for the racist, fascist and extremist, who propagating hatred based on race, ethnicity, religion and so on and thrive on insanity. This is because the East End has been the poorest part of London and the fascists have always in different disguise used different issues at different time to scapegoat the poor and vulnerable community. In the past, it was the Jews and now it is the Muslims. The target and the victims are new, but ideology and menace are the same old abhorrence. Whosoever prescribes to fascist ideology will be publicly rejected. Tower Hamlets has strong community cohesion at grassroots. BNP is a well known racist Party and has caused frenzy in the past and now the English Defence League is lurking in the dark.
Despite the existence of these undesirable elements in society, we have to live together and the people of Tower Hamlets have rejected all forms of extremism time and time again. As a matter of conviction, people of the United Kingdom have wiped out BNP from the political map of the country at the last elections. People of Tower Hamlets do not want any external infiltration; let it be BNP or any neo-fascist gangs, because we do not want to see any replay of the Battle of Cable Street. We will reject any individual or organisation that intends to cause any mishap by pouring wrong information in public domain or provoking the people of Tower Hamlets. We will vehemently advise all interest groups to refrain from labelling Tower Hamlets this or that.
It is a borough with profound diversity and our socio-economic issues are colossal. Let's overcome these issues which are more deep-rooted than what is seen by a naked eye. It must be borne in mind that the people of Tower Hamlets are by and large tenants; they cannot afford to buy their own house nor can they afford to send their children to public school. Life is hard here and the people have become harder – they have learned to resist extremism. The ground reality in Tower Hamlets is unique that would be very difficult, if not implausible, to measure by social indicators.
DH: What particular qualities do you have to offer as a potential mayor?
SI: "A journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step" and the elected mayoralty in Tower Hamlets is the inception of a long journey that I began in 2001 when I was elected as a councillor for the first time. I have 20 years' experience of community activism, which means I am cognizant with the community aspirations and wishes. I have been a pragmatist, result driven councillor, serving the community actively and representing the people of Bethnal Green South for the past 12 years. Having brought up in a council estate in the borough of Tower Hamlets, I witnessed and experienced the socio-economic transformation and I have profoundly contributed to this change under the Labour Party. I have a vision to entwine this development to give maximum benefit to the people of Tower Hamlets. As a diligent and approachable councillor with practical hands-on experience and vision, I strive to achieve the best result for my constituents.
I believe in 'One Vision One Community' principle, which I will precipitate with confidence and distinct leadership skill. Having been a councillor for the third term, I have gained invaluable decision-making skills and experience with proven track records of both campaigning at the grassroots level, coordinating the boardroom, delegating responsibility, contributing to decision-making process and providing meaningful advice for efficacious resolution. I have gained extensive and in-depth knowledge of the Council services ranging from education, housing, social services, planning, and environment and leisure services.
My council portfolio include Deputy Leader of Tower Hamlets (2006-09), Lead Member for Social Services and Health (2006-09), Chief Whip (2005-06), Chairman of Overview and Scrutiny Committee (2009-10) and currently the Lead Member for Regeneration and Employment. As a former Deputy Leader of the Council, I played a significant role in the corporate achievement of the Council. During that time, as part of the comprehensive assessment regime, the Council was graded as a four stars authority. As Deputy Leader of the Council, I managed a diverse portfolio of Council Services which included Equality, Workforce to Reflect the Community, Customer Access, Housing, Communication and Consultation and Involvement. As Deputy Leader I was responsible for implementing and overseeing the Council's award winning Women in to Public Life Project.
I have attained experience on policies and standards; evaluating performance, outcomes and outputs of policy implementation. During the era of my Cabinet Lead for the Social Services, the department achieved top performing 3 stars rating for the Tower Hamlets Council.
Outside the council, I am committed to representing my local groups and I was the former Chairperson of Holy Trinity and Bethnal Green South Ward, Vice Chairperson of TH Local Government Committee and Member of National Parliamentary Panel (NPP).
During 2009-10, I was Labour Group's Policy and Campaigns Officer. I wrote the 2010 local government election campaign strategy for the Tower hamlets labour Party. Through political leadership I was able to deal with Social Services budget difficulties in 2002. I was able to take on this challenge and transform the service to being the best in this country. I delivered the awards winning culturally appropriate Sonali Gardens Extra-Care Sheltered Accommodation and Day Centre for the elderly people of Tower Hamlets. I pioneered the Multi-faith Burial Subsidy Scheme.
In Tower Hamlets, there are 51 elected councillors, of whom 41 are Labour, and they all have brought wealth of diverse experience with them. It will be vital to ensure the practice of democracy is maximised by having the already elected councillors in key positions. Policy formulation and execution require dedicated team efforts; let it be a prime ministerial or presidential cabinet, although I will prefer to have a prime ministerial prototype so that the decision-making process will have wider and collective participation. It will be crucial for any executive mayor to empower the elected councillors with well-defined portfolio to remove management inertia and make the council services competitive and value for money by achieving effective and efficient result. I will ensure the council is accountable and transparent – every penny will be spent wisely. I will provide strategic vision and competent political leadership.
My thanks again to Councillor Islam.
Andrew Gilligan's London:
Fundamentalist-linked councillor stuffed again
By Andrew Gilligan Politics Last updated: July 18th, 2010
13 Comments Comment on this article
Lutfur Rahman, the fundamentalist-linked Labour councillor, has again been barred by the Labour Party from the shortlist for the Tower Hamlets mayoralty – even though it was his threat of legal action which prompted them to re-run the shortlisting process in the first place.
In the revised shortlist drawn up last night, members will now choose between Helal Abbas, Rahman’s successor as Tower Hamlets council leader, John Biggs, the deputy leader of the London Assembly Labour group, Michael Keith, another former Tower Hamlets council leader, a TH councillor, Shiria Khatun, and another woman, Rosna Mortuza.
Cllr Rahman achieved the leadership of Tower Hamlets council in 2008 with the help of a fundamentalist group, the Islamic Forum of Europe, which lobbied and pressured councillors on his part. Under his leadership, the council showed clear signs of coming under Islamic fundamentalist influence.
My exposure of this in the Telegraph and a Channel 4 documentary appears to have been fatal to Cllr Rahman’s political career. The last straw was probably his using a solicitor linked to the pro-terrorist group al-Muhajiroun to make his legal threat!
The interesting question now is whether Lutfur will stand as an independent, or for George Galloway’s Respect party. He does have some rich backers – local businessmen who gave him a celebration meal when the original shortlist was overturned – and he does have a vote-bank in his own neighbourhood; but the odds must be against him winning the mayoralty of the entire borough from such a position.
Tags: fundamentalism, islamic forum of europe, lutfur rahman
Saturday, 17 July 2010
MUHAMMAD HAQUE commenting on the latest parade by the Labour Party bureaucracy over the future of ‘democracy’ in Tower Hamlets
0010 Hrs GMT
London
Sunday
18 July 2010.
By © Muhammad Haque.
I have told Abbas Uddin that the reason why I EVER supported any call for a NO to the mayor system was based on the evidence that Tower Hamlets people would be ill served by a lessening in democratic say. With the LATEST ‘news’ of the latest twist in the parade that has been going on inside the ‘Labour Party’ bureaucracy over the ‘listing’ and the various sub-listing of an allegedly suitable candidate for ‘the Party’, has again confirmed my view that Tower Hamlets people will SUFFER worse conditions with the introduction of a less democratic system for the local council.
I shall be examining the key evidence here in due course.
[To be continued]
London
Sunday
18 July 2010.
By © Muhammad Haque.
I have told Abbas Uddin that the reason why I EVER supported any call for a NO to the mayor system was based on the evidence that Tower Hamlets people would be ill served by a lessening in democratic say. With the LATEST ‘news’ of the latest twist in the parade that has been going on inside the ‘Labour Party’ bureaucracy over the ‘listing’ and the various sub-listing of an allegedly suitable candidate for ‘the Party’, has again confirmed my view that Tower Hamlets people will SUFFER worse conditions with the introduction of a less democratic system for the local council.
I shall be examining the key evidence here in due course.
[To be continued]
London Daily News follows the BHANGEELAAR! Diagnosis of Tower Hamlets town clerk Kevan Collins. But the LDN fails as usual to tell the whole truth.
1920 Hrs GMT
London
Saturday
17 July 2010
Editor © Muhammad Haque
London Daily News follows the BHANGEELAAR! Diagnosis of Tower Hamlets town clerk Kevan Collins. But the LDN fails as usual to tell the whole truth. We shall continue to bring the full facts to this record.
17 July, 2010 01:39 (GMT +01:00)
Tower Hamlets Chief Exec paid more than PM goes 'undercover' for TV programme
Article Video Photos
undercover tower ham.jpg
A Chief Executive who earns more money than the Prime Minister has gone undercover for a TV programme.
Dr Kevan Collins left Town Hall and donned overalls and gloves working on the front line of the deprived East London borough for a week for Undercover Boss on Channel 4.
Collins is running the council at a time of huge budget cuts that may hurt the very services he was clandistantly labouring in. He has to find £55m of savings in three years. This month the Labour council announced the first in series of 'efficiency drives' axing £7.63m in spending.
Staff had no idea their new college was also their boss as he worked as a trainee pest control officer, a market inspector, Meals on Wheels provider, a community law enforcement officer and at the reception of the Housing and Homelessness Service.
The series was filmed earlier this year and the £190,000 a year man says the experience has helped him as he decides where to make cuts.
The same channel caused a storm when it alleged the Council was being 'infiltrated' by powerful elements in the East London Mosque.
You can watch the Undercover Boss Thursday, 22 July, 9pm, Channel 4.
London
Saturday
17 July 2010
Editor © Muhammad Haque
London Daily News follows the BHANGEELAAR! Diagnosis of Tower Hamlets town clerk Kevan Collins. But the LDN fails as usual to tell the whole truth. We shall continue to bring the full facts to this record.
17 July, 2010 01:39 (GMT +01:00)
Tower Hamlets Chief Exec paid more than PM goes 'undercover' for TV programme
Article Video Photos
undercover tower ham.jpg
A Chief Executive who earns more money than the Prime Minister has gone undercover for a TV programme.
Dr Kevan Collins left Town Hall and donned overalls and gloves working on the front line of the deprived East London borough for a week for Undercover Boss on Channel 4.
Collins is running the council at a time of huge budget cuts that may hurt the very services he was clandistantly labouring in. He has to find £55m of savings in three years. This month the Labour council announced the first in series of 'efficiency drives' axing £7.63m in spending.
Staff had no idea their new college was also their boss as he worked as a trainee pest control officer, a market inspector, Meals on Wheels provider, a community law enforcement officer and at the reception of the Housing and Homelessness Service.
The series was filmed earlier this year and the £190,000 a year man says the experience has helped him as he decides where to make cuts.
The same channel caused a storm when it alleged the Council was being 'infiltrated' by powerful elements in the East London Mosque.
You can watch the Undercover Boss Thursday, 22 July, 9pm, Channel 4.
Friday, 16 July 2010
Tower Hamlets Council town clerk Kevan Collins would 'find out' much more if he faked a little less!
1815 Hrs GMT
London
Friday
16 July 2010
Editor © Muhammad Haque
Tower Hamlets Council town clerk Kevan Collins would 'find out' much more if he faked a little less!
Why are we saying this?
Simple: the man is getting increasingly caught out as paying less attention to real people in the 'deprived' borough while his 'profile' via the media outlets is undergoing discernible promotion.
The latest one to be noticed in the past 90 minutes is his indulgence in his capacity for disguise!
This is not an exaggeration at all. The man has been admitting to being in disguise as he faked his way around selected locations posing to be keener than he needs to, to serve the community!
This exhibition is being prepared now for broadcast by Channel 4 TV.
Should the unthinkable happen before the scheduled broadest in a week’s time then the man has already invested soundly to claim a good ground in any negotiation over a severance pay!
Neighboring Newham Borough Council’s town clerk is already being groomed for at least half a million £
Kevan Collins’ tricks at disguising himself may prove quite handy in any fraught negotiation over departure dosh!
All at the expense of the authentically deprived people of the area called Tower Hopeless!
[To be continued]
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Taken from a website that is listed on the Internet at 1800 Hrs GMT Friday 16 July 2010:
http://www.voterespect.org/2010/05/galloway-demands-action-over-election.html
"
Tuesday, 4 May 2010
Galloway demands action over election fraud
To the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, the Chair of the Electoral Commission, Tower Hamlets Returning Officer and the General Secretary of the Labour Party
Dear Sir Paul Stephenson, Ms Jenny Watson, Dr Kevan Collins and Mr Ray Collins,
It is now clear that the elections in Tower Hamlets have been subject to widespread postal vote tampering and voting fraud. I first wrote tot he authorities on April 6th to express my profound concerns about the subversion of the democratic process here. Unfortunately, those well-founded concerns have met with staggering complacency, a complacency all the more remarkable for the fact that it is widely known this borough’s elections have been undermined by fraud at least for the last six years since New Labour’s hegemony was first challenged by Respect.
We now have a situation where some candidates have been adding names to the register at their own addresses and at the addresses of friends and family which defy plausibility. This has taken place on such a scale that, together with the widespread vote tampering, the integrity of elections here has been thoroughly compromised. The press has been rather more assiduous in its investigations and the Times, the Independent, the Daily Mail and the Evening Standard have all now run extremely disturbing stories. Even worse, an Independent journalist has been savagely assaulted whilst making legitimate enquiries into voter fraud.
I now wish to make four demands on the relevant authorities to act to restore confidence in the forthcoming election in Tower Hamlets. Firstly, I am demanding a full-scale police enquiry into voting fraud in this borough. It really is not good enough to have a sergeant with other duties using a makeshift office in a part-time police station in Bow. Rooting out the fraudsters requires a serious deployment of forces with direct senior management involvement.
Secondly, I am demanding that the Returning Officer carries out an immediate review of voter registration over the last couple of months to discern potentially fraudulent registration, which in this instance means the sudden registration of two or more adults in addition to the existing registered adults in any property in Tower Hamlets. All such suspicious registrations must be referred to the police for investigation. It is not good enough to say you do not have the power to investigate. You have the evidence of criminal behaviour and it is therefore your duty to identify that evidence and refer it to the police.
Thirdly, I am demanding that the Labour Party immediately suspend any council candidate who has added to their household registration two or more voters in recent months with no possible legitimate reason. It is clear from the electoral record that a number of Labour candidates in this election have added names to those registered at their own homes, never mind others, in numbers that are not plausibly legitimate.
Fourthly, I am demanding the Electoral Commission, which has consistently sought to defend the indefensible postal voting on demand system, launches its own immediate enquiry to learn the lessons of the subversion of the democratic system that has taken place here in Tower Hamlets. The Electoral Commission has a duty to advise on how to ensure that elections are properly run in this country and this is a duty that has been very poorly discharged so far, as the fraud in this borough reveals.
Nothing less that immediate and robust action will restore the widespread and legitimate distrust of the electoral system which now exists in Tower Hamlets and beyond.
Yours sincerely,
George Galloway
"
London
Friday
16 July 2010
Editor © Muhammad Haque
Tower Hamlets Council town clerk Kevan Collins would 'find out' much more if he faked a little less!
Why are we saying this?
Simple: the man is getting increasingly caught out as paying less attention to real people in the 'deprived' borough while his 'profile' via the media outlets is undergoing discernible promotion.
The latest one to be noticed in the past 90 minutes is his indulgence in his capacity for disguise!
This is not an exaggeration at all. The man has been admitting to being in disguise as he faked his way around selected locations posing to be keener than he needs to, to serve the community!
This exhibition is being prepared now for broadcast by Channel 4 TV.
Should the unthinkable happen before the scheduled broadest in a week’s time then the man has already invested soundly to claim a good ground in any negotiation over a severance pay!
Neighboring Newham Borough Council’s town clerk is already being groomed for at least half a million £
Kevan Collins’ tricks at disguising himself may prove quite handy in any fraught negotiation over departure dosh!
All at the expense of the authentically deprived people of the area called Tower Hopeless!
[To be continued]
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Taken from a website that is listed on the Internet at 1800 Hrs GMT Friday 16 July 2010:
http://www.voterespect.org/2010/05/galloway-demands-action-over-election.html
"
Tuesday, 4 May 2010
Galloway demands action over election fraud
To the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, the Chair of the Electoral Commission, Tower Hamlets Returning Officer and the General Secretary of the Labour Party
Dear Sir Paul Stephenson, Ms Jenny Watson, Dr Kevan Collins and Mr Ray Collins,
It is now clear that the elections in Tower Hamlets have been subject to widespread postal vote tampering and voting fraud. I first wrote tot he authorities on April 6th to express my profound concerns about the subversion of the democratic process here. Unfortunately, those well-founded concerns have met with staggering complacency, a complacency all the more remarkable for the fact that it is widely known this borough’s elections have been undermined by fraud at least for the last six years since New Labour’s hegemony was first challenged by Respect.
We now have a situation where some candidates have been adding names to the register at their own addresses and at the addresses of friends and family which defy plausibility. This has taken place on such a scale that, together with the widespread vote tampering, the integrity of elections here has been thoroughly compromised. The press has been rather more assiduous in its investigations and the Times, the Independent, the Daily Mail and the Evening Standard have all now run extremely disturbing stories. Even worse, an Independent journalist has been savagely assaulted whilst making legitimate enquiries into voter fraud.
I now wish to make four demands on the relevant authorities to act to restore confidence in the forthcoming election in Tower Hamlets. Firstly, I am demanding a full-scale police enquiry into voting fraud in this borough. It really is not good enough to have a sergeant with other duties using a makeshift office in a part-time police station in Bow. Rooting out the fraudsters requires a serious deployment of forces with direct senior management involvement.
Secondly, I am demanding that the Returning Officer carries out an immediate review of voter registration over the last couple of months to discern potentially fraudulent registration, which in this instance means the sudden registration of two or more adults in addition to the existing registered adults in any property in Tower Hamlets. All such suspicious registrations must be referred to the police for investigation. It is not good enough to say you do not have the power to investigate. You have the evidence of criminal behaviour and it is therefore your duty to identify that evidence and refer it to the police.
Thirdly, I am demanding that the Labour Party immediately suspend any council candidate who has added to their household registration two or more voters in recent months with no possible legitimate reason. It is clear from the electoral record that a number of Labour candidates in this election have added names to those registered at their own homes, never mind others, in numbers that are not plausibly legitimate.
Fourthly, I am demanding the Electoral Commission, which has consistently sought to defend the indefensible postal voting on demand system, launches its own immediate enquiry to learn the lessons of the subversion of the democratic system that has taken place here in Tower Hamlets. The Electoral Commission has a duty to advise on how to ensure that elections are properly run in this country and this is a duty that has been very poorly discharged so far, as the fraud in this borough reveals.
Nothing less that immediate and robust action will restore the widespread and legitimate distrust of the electoral system which now exists in Tower Hamlets and beyond.
Yours sincerely,
George Galloway
"
The strange case of the part time 'visitor' to Newham Council - their 'just former' town clerk [Oops! 'Chief executive']
0850 [0845] [0840] [0830] Hrs GMT
London
Friday
16 July 2010.
Editor © Muhammad Haque.
The story was originally broken on Thursday [15 July 2010] by the Isle of Wight ‘local paper’. Why that far? Because the ‘subject’ of the story, Newham Council’s ‘town clerk’ [Oops! ‘chief executive’] is an Isle of Wight resident!
The story was then followed up or pinched by the ‘Newham Recorder’, the ‘local’ title in Newham now owned by the Archant operation that also owns the ‘East London Advertiser’.
The Archant operation is less of a journalistic one than a commercial one.
Hence the need to look for other outlets for the truth, even though a lot of more research is necessary before the semblance of the whole truth is found.
. And on this occasion the outlet turned out to be ITV London Tonight.
Their reporter Emma Walden [featured in this report] filed a much more informative and factual report than any of the ‘print’ outlets including the London EVENING STANDARD who had picked up the item after the Isle of Wight title’s publication. One of the facts that she extracted was the fact related by a now former Newham Councillor in her package that the town clerk was a part time visitor to the borough!
Amazing in itself.
Then he added that the former town clerk had been ‘frog marched' out of the Town Hall in the previous day or so! So who is going to tell the full details of what actually happened?
And what was the self-serving Robin Wales’ role in it all? Who, by the way, had appointed the town clerk to be the ‘highest paid’ one as well?
[To be continued]
Ex-council chief quits post
By Ross Findon - Thursday, July 15, 2010
Search iwcp.co.uk:
LATEST NEWS
CONTROVERSIAL former Isle of Wight Council chief executive, Joe Duckworth, who left the Island to become the country’s highest paid council officer on £241,000-a-year as boss of Newham Borough Council, has quit that post.
Just two years after joining the London borough, part of the London Olympics regeneration programme, Mr Duckworth said it was time to seek new challenges.
The Newham Recorder said a council spokesman refused to comment on speculation Mr Duckworth was pushed out.
London
Friday
16 July 2010.
Editor © Muhammad Haque.
The story was originally broken on Thursday [15 July 2010] by the Isle of Wight ‘local paper’. Why that far? Because the ‘subject’ of the story, Newham Council’s ‘town clerk’ [Oops! ‘chief executive’] is an Isle of Wight resident!
The story was then followed up or pinched by the ‘Newham Recorder’, the ‘local’ title in Newham now owned by the Archant operation that also owns the ‘East London Advertiser’.
The Archant operation is less of a journalistic one than a commercial one.
Hence the need to look for other outlets for the truth, even though a lot of more research is necessary before the semblance of the whole truth is found.
. And on this occasion the outlet turned out to be ITV London Tonight.
Their reporter Emma Walden [featured in this report] filed a much more informative and factual report than any of the ‘print’ outlets including the London EVENING STANDARD who had picked up the item after the Isle of Wight title’s publication. One of the facts that she extracted was the fact related by a now former Newham Councillor in her package that the town clerk was a part time visitor to the borough!
Amazing in itself.
Then he added that the former town clerk had been ‘frog marched' out of the Town Hall in the previous day or so! So who is going to tell the full details of what actually happened?
And what was the self-serving Robin Wales’ role in it all? Who, by the way, had appointed the town clerk to be the ‘highest paid’ one as well?
[To be continued]
Ex-council chief quits post
By Ross Findon - Thursday, July 15, 2010
Search iwcp.co.uk:
LATEST NEWS
CONTROVERSIAL former Isle of Wight Council chief executive, Joe Duckworth, who left the Island to become the country’s highest paid council officer on £241,000-a-year as boss of Newham Borough Council, has quit that post.
Just two years after joining the London borough, part of the London Olympics regeneration programme, Mr Duckworth said it was time to seek new challenges.
The Newham Recorder said a council spokesman refused to comment on speculation Mr Duckworth was pushed out.
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