Abbas 4 Mayor

"Le Roi est mort, vive le Roi!" Despite the inevitable fuss and bother the local Party are pulling together around its Council leader, Helal Uddin Abbas (centre with file), as the Labour Party candidate to be Tower Hamlets Mayor.

No one person is bigger than the Party.  Our elected National Executive Council leadership have decided overwhelming to back Abbas in very difficult circumstances.  Abbas is an able and experienced leader and politician.  He was very positive towards the trade unions when I was the Tower Hamlets UNISON Labour Link officer and I have always thought he was a decent and honest secular socialist. 

I understand that there has been a failed legal attempt to challenge this decision. Nominations close at noon tomorrow. 

I shall look forward to the campaign!

Hat tip for picture to Dan McCurry.

Lutfur Rahman acceptance speech as Labour Candidate for Mayor

I have just come across this Youtube video of Lutfur Rahman outside the Labour Party headquarters in Bethnal Green last weekend.  He was clearly elected as the Labour party candidate to be Tower Hamlets Exectuve Mayor.  The election is on 21st October 2010. 

Hopefully Galloway will stand as a candidate for Respect but since he obviously doesn't like losing (or rather being trounced) - I doubt it.

John Biggs: Tower Hamlets Labour Mayor Candidate

 London Assembly member John Biggs is standing to be the Labour Party candidate to run for Tower Hamlets Mayor.

There has been the usual exciting and colourful Tower Hamlets selection process.

Labour Party members (only) will vote on Saturday on who they want to be their candidate in the Mayoral election on 21 October 2010.

I have worked in Tower Hamlets for the past 20 years or so - but I am not of course a local member so I shouldn't really interfere in the selection process.

But - this being Tower Hamlets (my 2nd favourite London borough ever) I can't help mentioning that in a strictly personal capacity - I thought John was an excellent Labour Council leader and London Assembly member.  He is also a stanch trade unionist and a very decent person with good politics who you can rely on. We don't agree all the time but there again - who does!

There are other good candidates standing but if I had the choice (and I don't) then I would definitely be voting for Mr Biggs to be Tower Hamlets Mayor. 

Tower Hamlets Elected Mayor: New Labour Shortlist

 Hat-tip to Dave Hill who is the first person I think to report on the new shortlist to be the Labour candidate for Elected Mayor. 

"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".

I think the all members ballot is in 2 weeks and the election itself is on October 21.