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Tower Hamlets Council Tower Hamlets Council Change and turmoil Created in 1965 from the amalgamation of the Stepney, Poplar and Bethnal Green Councils, Tower Hamlets covers London's traditional East End. In its early years, the borough was the home of the cockney docker and was overwhelmingly Labour. Between 1971 and 1974, Labour managed to wipe out their main local opponents, the Communist Party, to win every seat on the Council. Over the last forty years, Tower Hamlets has transformed with the development of Canary Wharf, London's financial centre. There have also been some significant demographic changes, with the borough being home to one of the highest percentages of Muslims of any local government area. However, it does remain a borough of economic contrasts with 53.4% of children living in poverty, the highest figure in the UK, within sight of the headquarters of some of the world’s largest financial institutions. That process of change has made for quite a few interesting political developments. The Liberal Democrats won two elections in 1986 and 1990, largely by appealing to the disenfranchised white working class, using literature which caused public outcry due to its racist content. As a result, the local Liberal Democrat candidates were expelled from the party and Labour, led by current Mayor John Biggs, won back control in 1996 and remained there until 2006 when, due to opposition to the war in Iraq and an upsurge in support for the Respect party, Labour were reduced to a single seat. That election also saw the Conservatives making their entrance in the Council, as the new affluent areas around Canary Wharf began to change the demographics of the borough. The rise and fall of Lutfur Rahman In 2010, Labour returned to power in Tower Hamlets amid some controversy. In a referendum to establish an elected Mayor for the borough, Lutfur Rahman saw his nomination overturned due to alleged links to an extreme Islamic group and because of malpractice in the selection process. Rahman, however, won the Mayoral contest as an Independent and subsequently, in 2014 as candidate of his own Tower Hamlets First party. Rahman's rule as Mayor was extremely controversial and his 2014 election was challenged by four residents in an election petition to the court of disputed returns. In a landmark court ruling, Rahman was found personally guilty of corrupt and illegal practices and was disqualified from holding electoral office for five years. Labour's John Biggs won the subsequent by-election by vowing to clean up the Council, defeating the Independent candidate Rabina Khan, backed by the disgraced Rahman. Since his 2015 election, Mayor Biggs has had to work with the government Commissioners sent in by the government following an inquiry into the Council management under Rahman and Labour having only half of the borough’s Councillors. The position has been made slightly easier by the Tower Hamlets First group splitting into two groups, the Aspire group that remains closely linked to Rahman and those who are supporting Rabina Khan People's Alliance Party. What will happen on May 3rd? With voters given their first chance to elect a new Council since Lutfur Rahman's sacking and with the Rahman forces split, it looks likely that Mayor Biggs will be re-elected and that Labour will secure a clear majority. However, in Tower Hamlets nothing can be taken for granted. .
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