TWO TOWER HAMLETS LABOUR COUNCILLORS JOIN RESPECT
George Galloway, Respect parliamentary candidate for Poplar and Limehouse, and Abjol Miah, Respect parliamentary candidate for Bethnal Green and Bow, are at this very moment starting a press conference at the Prithi Restaurant, on the corner of Brick Lane and Hanbury Street in Tower Hamlets. This press conferecne will introduce Respect’s candidates for May’s local elections.
The Respect Party will proudly announce at this press conference that Councillor Salim Ullah and Councillor Fazlul Haque will be standing for Respect. They have resigned the Labour whip.
More surprises are expected, as a further three senior Labour Party figures in the borough are thought to be on the brink of joining Respect.
For god’s sake.
Traditionally, a few months before elections, there is a lot of jumping ship happens. Councillors have been deselected by their party and suddenly find some deep political principle, that they have kept very quiet about, that causes them to switch parties - to someone who will let they be a candidate.
Why do you think they are signing up to Respect?
Comment by Southpawpunch — 6 March, 2010 @ 3:22 pm
They may be sincere Labour party people wanting a more principled and left wing political home, or they may be craven opportunist rats deserting the sinking ship of Labour, but one thing this incident shows is that the Respect Party is still a significant force in this locality - a fact which I was not sure about before. If only there was a credible left of labour force in every town and borough.
Comment by Barry Kade — 6 March, 2010 @ 3:49 pm
Considering the racist and Islamophobic campaign Labour in TH has been waging and the recent disgusting Despatches program that tried to demonise Muslims in TH I offer my unreserved support to these new Respect counsellors. I don’t blame them from ditching Labour and the more Labour members joining the left the better.
Comment by Ray — 6 March, 2010 @ 4:07 pm
Well done to Respect. Excellent work.
Bill Corr, your comments expose you as a liar. You have never hoped that there was more to respect than you thought. Piss off back to Harry’s Shit Hole.
Comment by David Ellis — 6 March, 2010 @ 4:34 pm
Bill Corr isn’t just a liar. All he does post carefully crafted comments that just about scrape under the bar of overt racism and post links to far right sites.
Comment by Mike — 6 March, 2010 @ 4:44 pm
Yes he’s a practiced little troll.
Comment by David Ellis — 6 March, 2010 @ 4:46 pm
Wow, rats fleeing onto a sinking ship.
Comment by Simon — 6 March, 2010 @ 5:16 pm
I don’t think there is any problem in Andy promoting this - its a success for Respect.
As long as he is consistent and gives it equal weight when councillors defect from Respect to Labour, Lib Dems or the Tories……….
Comment by paul Stott — 6 March, 2010 @ 5:27 pm
I have decided to ban Bill Corr, and his many aliases
Comment by Andy Newman — 6 March, 2010 @ 5:29 pm
Well, dunno what the story is behind this (and someone here can likely explain) but according to the East London Advertiser the Cllrs were deselected by Labour (hopefully because the Cllrs are too principled in their politics)
http://www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk/content/towerhamlets/advertiser/news/story.aspx?brand=ELAOnline&category=news&tBrand=northlondon24&tCategory=newsela&itemid=WeED18%20Feb%202010%2019%3A09%3A37%3A657
Comment by sue manchester — 6 March, 2010 @ 5:34 pm
“I have decided to ban Bill Corr, and his many aliases”
I think that if we’re going to have a debate about very important issues on the left during a period where there is a lot at stake then Bill Corrs trolling doesn’t contribute to this. He’s making the same racist remarks on Lenin’s Tomb so his modus operandi appears to be to disrupt debate on left blogs.
Comment by Ray — 6 March, 2010 @ 5:54 pm
Good news that Respect is still seen as a viable alternative in Tower Hamlets.
Questions do need to be asked, however, as to what extent the London Labour’s allegations [#10] were accurate, and any involvement on the part of councillors Ullah and Haque which may have caused their deselection.
That said, this shows that Respect is seen as the main opposition to Labour in these East London heartlands, and whatever their motivation if these defectors strengthen the electoral appeal of a left-wing challenge, all the better,
Comment by Manzil — 6 March, 2010 @ 6:18 pm
1#
“Councillors have been deselected by their party and suddenly find some deep political principle”
there does appear to be a direct correlation in failure within the selection process and a sudden attack of principals, its when a person in power swaps party that we should look for a deepre meaning.
Comment by Anonymous — 6 March, 2010 @ 6:21 pm
13#
why does my name keep on disapearing
Comment by Jim McLean — 6 March, 2010 @ 6:22 pm
This is the opening shots to the main parties sense of insecurity, and it is not beyond hope, more will follow the long and winding road to Respect,s door. They got there and we need them
Comment by LarryN — 6 March, 2010 @ 6:40 pm
#13 and #14
No idea, that is a new problem we have never had before.
Comment by Andy Newman — 6 March, 2010 @ 6:41 pm
and on again to the Conservatives
Comment by Sean — 6 March, 2010 @ 7:26 pm
Good stuff.
SSP member.
Comment by Frank Martin — 6 March, 2010 @ 7:42 pm
The vice-chair of the Labour Party in Tower Hamlets has also resigned and joined Respect.
He cited the Islamophobic campaign by the Fitzpatrick/Keith/Taylor wing of the Labour Party as the immediate reason. A long-standing Labour councillor in Bromley by Bow has announced he’s standing down. The turmoil is growing and we’ve just had an excellent press conference ventilating these issues. We can win and win big in Tower Hamlets.
Comment by Kevin Ovenden — 6 March, 2010 @ 7:49 pm
Who is this vice chair who is supposed to have joined Respect? There’s only one Vice Chair, Chris Weavers, and he’s going nowhere.
Comment by bow belle — 6 March, 2010 @ 7:55 pm
Lutfur Rahman.
Comment by Kevin Ovenden — 6 March, 2010 @ 8:37 pm
great news in tower hamlets
we can and need to win big-it is one of the few places in the country where people can use their vote for a truly progressive alternative to new labour and bulwark against cameron’s thatcherism-in brighton the greens have respects support-and caroline’s call for disillusioned labour to join her on this web site should be supported
are greens in tower hamlets seeing that respect is the only possible alternative to islamophobe fitzpatrick and the not so poplar b**ker
Comment by titch mitch — 6 March, 2010 @ 8:46 pm
Well done to Respect comrades in Tower Hamlets. When I was active in the SLP in Lewisham we managed to get a Labour Cllr join us -Tony Link -Drake ward (now Brockley and a strong hold of the Greens!) Tony Link was a solid socialist Cllr who just had enough of the right wing moving LP -both locally and nationally. However it did not result in many rank and file LP members leaving. It would appear this is not the case in Tower Hamlets. The defection gave a real boost to our local members and raised our profile.
Comment by Nick Long — 6 March, 2010 @ 9:10 pm
This development is obviously a huge boost to Respect’s prospects. It confirms two things.
The first, which I have suspected for some time, is that Respect is very much in business and clearly sufficiently credible for sitting Labour councillors to believe they have chance of being elected by standing for Respect. Whatever there motivations might be that is a big compliment. After all, the Liberal Democrats and the Tories are also fishing for defectors, as with Councillor Dr Anwara Ali. Given they could have gone elsewhere, it also says something about the principles of these two councillors, one of whom, Councillor Salim Ullah, has been a Labour Party member for 30 years. Their associations, by the way, are not with the East London Mosque or the Ife, for what that might matter, but they were supporters of Councillor Lutfur Rahman. The powers that be in the Labour selection process have been manouevring to reduce Rahman’s base in the local Labour Party.
The second point is that Tower Hamlets Labour is now in deep crisis. It is clear Jim Fitzpatrick is now seen by many Labour candidates as toxic. I’ve been told, for example, that the remaining two Shadwell Labour candidates have refused to hand out leaflets in which their photo appears with his. A number of council candidates Labour selected to stand have withdrawn. This includes Councillor Abdul Aziz Sardar, the only successful Labour councillor in Bromley by Bow ward in 2006.
I’m sure we are all interested now in seeing if the invisible and characterless Rushanara Ali sacks her election agent (and Labour Party chair) Graham “Pork Scratchings” Taylor. Perhaps Bow Belle has some insight on this.
Comment by rachel trickett — 6 March, 2010 @ 10:02 pm
Incidently,
Professor Michael Keith’s solicitors wrote to me last week asking me to take down the transcript of Ken Livingstone’s speech at the Brady Centre on the basis that Livingstone crticisied Keith, and the cambridge prpfessor is threateening a libel suite.
As i was going to be away for three days and had to act quickly, I temporarily complied, sending them a note saying that i deny any libel.
I fully intend to re-publish it, and it is in any event still available elsewhere on the web.
But it is extraordinary that Michael keith would attempt to use the libel laws to protect himself from criticism by a high profile political figure of the stature of Ken Livingstone (who is in his own party!)
Comment by Andy Newman — 6 March, 2010 @ 10:08 pm
That’s very interesting, Andy.
Keith seems to be under a lot of pressure. I imagine a lot of people in Tower Hamlets will be interested to hear that he is threatening a defamation action against Ken Livingstone.
It ought to be clear to all now what the line of division is in Tower Hamlets.
It’s not too late for the council union to speak out over this. There are already reports of people in the voluntary sector being asked by their managers if they are members of the IFE. There will be a number of people employed by Tower Hamlets who are currently applying for other jobs, who may well find that that is held against them.
Whatever the past, it is time for Tower Hamlets Unison to speak out over this.
Whether it does or not, the battle lines are drawn.
Comment by Nas — 6 March, 2010 @ 10:36 pm
16# think the problems my end, I hate Vista
Comment by jim mclean — 6 March, 2010 @ 10:56 pm
The only person called Lutfur Rahman to have held Labour Party office in Tower Hamlets resigned some months ago as he didn’t have the time to do the job. He is not a current vice chair of the Tower Hamlets Labour Party.
Comment by bow belle — 7 March, 2010 @ 12:14 am
Anybody in the Glasgow area know whats happening there, re Purcell, Labours top man shoved, jumped dragged overboard, drugs crooks DS secret rehab?
Comment by Jim McLean — 7 March, 2010 @ 1:28 am
#28 OK. So someone who was the vice chair of Tower Hamlets Labour until he resigned recently has joined Respect. There is no doubt Labour in Tower Hamlets are in a state of acute internal turmoil and conflict. Most BME Labour members are not supporting either of their parliamentary candidates or a lot of their council candidates.
Comment by rachel trickett — 7 March, 2010 @ 4:17 am
I’m so pleased that that vile and disgusting Dispatches program is proving to be Labours undoing in TH. I really hope Respect trashes Labour because this will undermine not only Labour but the likes of the BNP and EDL as well.
Comment by Ray — 7 March, 2010 @ 5:39 am
Onwards to the ummah
Comment by plastic paddy — 7 March, 2010 @ 8:29 am
#31 Ray’s response is very welcome. Anyone coming to help bring about what could be some remarkable results in Tower Hamlets will also be made extremely welcome, I am sure. Respect needs all the help they can get.
Comment by rachel trickett — 7 March, 2010 @ 9:46 am
Winning seats, running capitalism, Respect and Nu Labour two sides of the sane penny!
Kevin Ovenden wetting himself in excitement!
Funny ha ha!
Comment by Jim — 7 March, 2010 @ 1:24 pm
Off topic, Jim, discussion on Scotland’s Clay Davis can be found here:
http://www.snptacticalvoting.com/2010/03/steven-purcell-sundays.html
Comment by Alec — 7 March, 2010 @ 5:02 pm
Why on earth are people getting over excited about two Tower Hamlets Councillors who “suddenly decided” to jump ships from Labour to Respect after they have been deselected by the Labour Party?
Pretty desperate stuff.
Comment by John Gray — 7 March, 2010 @ 5:28 pm
Most of the Muslim candidates in Labour, Lib Dems and Conservatives are currently been isolated and hounded by Israel 1sters. These two candidates were also been witch hunted and called “terrorists” within Labour ranks.
I don’t think any of you would tolerate such slanders, and its up to the Labour Party members to decide what they shall do with the small minority who is bent on smearing Muslims. If candidtates are called “Entryists”, are the Labour Muslim voters called “Stupid Goats”?
Comment by Cosa Nostra — 7 March, 2010 @ 9:15 pm
Ah, Lutfur Rahman follower of Sheikh Adil al-Kalbani, a high-ranking imam in Mecca who teaches that Shi’ite Muslims are heretics, and their clerics as apostates, and who has said said that Jews and Christians should only be allowed to live in the Arabian Peninsular “if their presence is essential” - otherwise “drive them out.”
Great to see Respect being infused with even more diversity and multicultural tolerance! Who else are you lining up to poach? Fred Phelps?
Comment by Stanislaw — 7 March, 2010 @ 9:21 pm
Lutfur Rahman also applied to be a Labour candidate and didn’t get selected. Respect is the home of people who don’t get as far in the Labour Party as they think they should.
Not to be confused with another Lutfur Rahman, Labour leader of the council.
Comment by bow belle — 7 March, 2010 @ 9:34 pm
Bow Belle: do you stand by your council leader against the attacks made on him by Jim Fitzpatrick and Dispatches? Do you think it right that the local Labour Party has been suspended and selections made by London Region?
How about taking along pork scratchings to the town hall, a centre of Islamic Fundamentalism according to your chair?
Any thoughts?
Comment by Nas — 7 March, 2010 @ 10:27 pm
#39 No, Lutfur Rahman, former vice chair of Tower Hamlets Labour Party, should not be confused with Lutfur Rahman, leader of Tower Hamlets council. But it is surely only a matter of time before Lutfur Rahman, leader of Tower Hamlets council, is hounded out of Labour by Bow Belle and mates too. After all, this is what this is all about as anyone who knows the key players knows.
In the meantime, could Bow tell us whether Rushanara is going to sack Graham Taylor who thinks it is funny to describe Tower Hamlets Town Hall as a “centre of Islamic Fundamentalism”? This is a disgusting slur against the thousands of people who work for Tower Hamlets council, and in particular the Muslim members of the workforce.
And, apart from John Gray and Michael Keith, could Bow tell us exactly which Labour Party members really and truly are now pulling for Jim Fitzpatrick? Answers on the fingers of one hand please.
Comment by rachel trickett — 7 March, 2010 @ 10:27 pm
Yes, as I said on the other thread, Tower Hamlets Respect seems to think that calling everyone who disagrees with them a racist is going to get them out of this mess.
Comment by Rachel — 7 March, 2010 @ 10:33 pm
What mess do you think they’re in?
Comment by KrisS — 7 March, 2010 @ 10:36 pm
Indeed, Kriss. Labour’s running a national campaign against the Tories but in Tower Hamlets are targeting their own council leader and smearing their historic base. Very odd. And something of a mess.
Comment by Nas — 7 March, 2010 @ 10:44 pm
‘Who else are you lining up to poach? Fred Phelps?’
I’m sure they don’t need swimmers.
Comment by The Friendly Lefty — 7 March, 2010 @ 11:58 pm
Excellent news that some of the entryists are leaving. Lets hope a few more of them walk the plank.
Comment by Ed D — 8 March, 2010 @ 3:11 am
They’re Respects problem now.
Comment by Ed D — 8 March, 2010 @ 3:12 am
Just received a respect leaflet today. Whilst the party proclaims to believe in equality, I did notice that all the candidates were Bangladeshi Males of a certain age; shame they couldn’t have selected at least one female candidate, but then again Respect is no longer the secular party it once claimed to be. Fazlul Haque was not selected because he claimed to live in the borough, while in fact he was actually subletting his property whilst living in Ilford.
Comment by John Cale — 15 March, 2010 @ 11:33 pm
Well it’s clear Respect’s propaganda is getting through. We have a good chance of electing more councillors than we have now and a number of women and men of various ages are very well placed.
If only people took such interest in New Labour’s leaflets.
Comment by Nas — 15 March, 2010 @ 11:53 pm
#48, John,
Discriminating in favour of women does not work and is open to abuse, whenever the ruling group want to rid themselves of strong left wing candidates. I was partly involved in warding off such an attack.
Merit is key to developing such women candidates and many think the balanced aims of Respect has got it correct. It would be an advantage for all left groups to follow, or they will be lead by their purist noses to fake gender equality, like the Blair babes. Heaven forbid.
Comment by LarryN — 16 March, 2010 @ 6:46 am
# 49 Why use such an ugly word (with facist overtones) as propaganda?
Is that how you view the voters in Tower Hamlets, people to be manipulated?
Perhaps it is better to refer to it as election literature, otherwise you will come across as 1920/1930’s obsessed oddball.
Comment by Martel — 16 March, 2010 @ 10:09 am
#51 - two recommendations.
1. Learn to spell ‘fascist’
2. Go and read some books.
Comment by The Friendly Lefty — 16 March, 2010 @ 10:35 am
# 51 Do you have any recommendation?
I like to read.
Comment by Martel — 16 March, 2010 @ 10:50 am
“Propaganda” is used by all governments for all manner of political ends. It does not have especially fascist overtones and is not in itself a dirty word.
Some people are just more honest about the fact that they use it.
Every political current seeks to “manipulate” people’s opinions, otherwise why be a political current at all?
Comment by little black sister — 16 March, 2010 @ 10:50 am
Martel: you can start with post 54.
Comment by The Friendly Lefty — 16 March, 2010 @ 10:52 am
Do you think mainstream political parties would use the term propaganda to describe their election literature?
No, because some overpaid analyst would mention to them that using a term commonly associated with totalitarianism would make them look shifty,deceitful and manipulative.
However, certain Citizen Smith’s are prepared to band the word round in the belief it makes them sound like Maxim Gorky.
If you are after elected seats why use such terms that are detrimetanal and irrelevant to your message.
It is like knocking on a door and talking about the failings/merits of Georgi Dimitrov
Comment by Martel — 16 March, 2010 @ 11:03 am
Martel: that’s absolutely hilarious.
Comment by Nas — 16 March, 2010 @ 11:48 am
I find the notion that people think what Marxists engage in is the manipulation of peoples opinions rather more revealing then debates about whether to use the term propaganda or not.
Comment by johng — 16 March, 2010 @ 11:57 am
I am comfortable with the word propaganda as it is an often used word in the vocabulary of all classes. Tell us Martel what is the hype or passive subsitute that you would replace propaganda with.
Comment by LarryN — 16 March, 2010 @ 1:20 pm
‘I am comfortable with the word propaganda as it is an often used word in the vocabulary of all classes.’
It is not about what you are comfortable with.
Its an election and it is about promoting your candidate and their policies in the most effective way. I would say using words like ‘propaganda’ and ‘manipulate’, like some 1930’s CPGB cadre, is detrimental to doing this. So why use a word that has such negative connotations among the majority of the people you are trying to get votes from?
Also on the doorsteps other parties will condemn Respect as Soviet style Communists so why score an own goal by using words like propaganda which is already bathed in associations with the Soviet machine.
It is also quite comical that Respect are using grandiose terms like propaganda when your real danger in Tower Hamlets is Labour’s national machine, which whatever its faults, is not an amateur when throwing its weight behind key seats like Tower Hamlets.
I have done doorstopping for years now I have certainly not been involved in anything as elaborate as ‘propaganda’ and ‘manipulation’ it is usually more along the lines of asking who they are voting for and then in a polite fashion explaining why I believe that they should be voting x and not y.
Comment by Martel — 16 March, 2010 @ 2:24 pm