There is no other local authority in the UK apart from Tower Hamlets where the following could be true. None.
The Mole’s most favouritest source has informed him that Mayor Biggs has none other than one Lutfur Rahman to thank for his current victories as we have been tracking in The Moley Mayoral Trigger Ballot Results Table Extravaganza.
Saywhatwherenow?
Yep. The ex-Mayor kicked out of office for electoral corruption in 2015 is keen to ensure the current Mayor gets to be his opponent in the Mayoral election in May 2022.
John Biggs is the best Mayoral opponent for Lutfur Rahman
Lutfur’s reasoning is that he would much rather have the known quantity of Biggs to campaign against than someone else from Tower Hamlets Labour who might actually be competent.
Lutfur Rahman will make political capital out of Biggs track record during the campaign, especially the current Mayor’s habit of cutting essential services while having in excess of £500,000,000 in the bank.
So how does Lutfur actually control the Tower Hamlets Labour Party open selection voting?
Easy.
As any keen observer of Tower Hamlets politics knows there are many Labour Party councillors and members who are in fact Lutfur supporters.
What’s in it for me me me?
For these people their one and only priority is their own personal gain and prestige and will switch political allegiances in a heartbeat.
For Lutfur to boost the Biggs vote all he has to do is say the word for his people to vote for the current Mayor and ensure that all their mates do the same.
Of course Tower Hamlets being Tower Hamlets Lutfur does need to ensure that he ‘outbids’ whatever Biggs has promised to councillors of course.
An examination of which organisations benefit from council grants and favourable deals on leases and council property between now and next May will be interesting reading.
Looking at the results table it would be fascinating to consider what it would look like without the previous Mayor helping the current Mayor.
Not pretty is Mole’s guess.
How could anyones ego survive this?
The next Mayor will be chosen by the Labour NEC
In addition to this meddling Tower Hamlets Labour Party also has to suffer the interference of the Labour National Executive Committee (NEC) who can (and probably will) change the outcome of the open selection voting if it is not to their liking.
Anyone who believes that the Labour NEC will leave it to local Labour Party members – and Lutfur Rahman – to decide who will be the official Labour Party Executive Mayor candidate for the borough in 2022 needs their medication adjusting.
It is never going to happen.
And that ladies and gentlemen is what passes for democracy in this part of London.
It would be a joke if it were not for the harm this duplicity from both sides of the political left causes residents and the continued poverty that keeps the borough right where they want it – under their boot.
Biggs to win open selection battle?
Current prediction is that Mayor Biggs will win his current battle to reject open selection and so become the official Labour Party Mayoral candidate.
Hope he sends Lutfur a nice slice of cake by way of a thank you!
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As community journalists we do exactly what it says on our tin – we work for the community.
In Tower Hamlets, which covers most of London’s East End, that means we spend a lot of time investigating allegations of political corruption.
It is an unfortunate fact that the poorest local authority in the country is still beset by the highest levels of corruption.
As Love Wapping we were instrumental in exposing the electoral corruption of Mayor Lutfur Rahman.
