Our new Mayor Lutfur Rahman tells all (well, almost all) in this video courtesy of Novara Media. Moley promises to never subject any of you to anything like this ever again ‘cos a 50 minute video about any politician is about 45 minutes too long.
Do read the comments on YouTube – top quality!
I thought Lutfur was relaxed and gave a good account of himself and the Aspire programme – so much better than anything local Labour had to offer.
Of course the proof of the pudding is in the eating.
I don’t understand why he hides from public scrutiny. He has won the national election and should make himself available to answer questions and be approachable. John Biggs was very humble and approachable. You could email him directly and he’d always reply personally. I recall Lutfur refusing to answer questions in the council chamber. Will he be different?
I thought this was an impressive interview. A revelation to me since I never heard him speak before. I expected something very different.
One thing that is impressive is that usually politicians over promise and under deliver. Left politicians promise socialist measures but when elected backtrack – they find they cost more than they anticipated for example. But with Lutfur it seems to be the opposite. He has got his mandate as mayor with a majority of councillors. Immediately he is promising a radical socialist programme. That does not sound like a corrupt right winger.
Let us see. If it is true that John Biggs was underspending and building up reserves, as Cllr Mark Francis and others have claimed, then Lutfur should be able to deliver on his promises.
The Labour party is going to find it hard to mount a credible opposition to this socialist mayor. Maybe it is time for them to ask themselves whether it had been a good idea to veto him in the first place when he was selected to be their candidate for mayor in 2010.
All good points.
> If it is true that John Biggs was underspending and building up reserves, as Cllr Mark Francis and others have claimed
Really? Haven’t heard this one before. I find it difficult to see why the borough needs more than £500,000,000 in reserves when many of our children do not have enough to eat and our social housing is in such a terrible state. This claim sounds like an excuse, not a reason. Either way it should be properly scrutinised.