L.
uftur Rahman made a dramatic return as mayor of Tower Hamlets, although he had previously been removed for electoral corruption.
In Friday’s shocking local election, Mr Rahman defeated incumbent Labor President John Biggs by a combined 40,804 votes on his party’s Aspire platform.
In 2015, he was removed from office one year after his second term, after the Electoral Court found him guilty of illegal and corrupt practices – on a civil finding rather than a criminal one.
He was never prosecuted and denied any wrongdoing.
Despite this cloud hovering over his reputation, Mr Rahman was able to convince voters in London’s East Quarter that he should be given another chance at the top.
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After the result was announced late Friday afternoon, loud cheers erupted from Mr Rahman’s supporters.
Speaking for the first time in the race after his five-year election ban expired in a closely monitored race in which police officers were stationed outside the neighborhood’s booths, Mr Rahman said he would be mayor of the entire community.
Speaking to reporters after the census, Mr Rahman said: “People in the neighborhood have been sentenced today. I was in the court of the people. And they said out loud that they want Lutfur Rahman and his team to serve them for the next four years, and that’s what I want to do.
Asked about his previous ban on standing, he said: “I will not comment on this. Today is not about that. Today is for the people of the neighborhood. They came out in large numbers yesterday and voiced their democratic will and demanded change. And that change is me and Aspire. ”
Asked if this was a free and fair election, he said: “I have no doubt. I have the full faith of the council staff, I have the full faith of the neighborhood police. And yesterday they watched the democratic process. “
The victory was grimly predicted by Labor figures hours after the census. Rabbi Khan, once from Mr Rahman’s Tower Hamlets First party, was eliminated in the first round by 6430 votes before the Liberal Democrats.
Ms. Hahn had previously been second in the previous two mayoral elections in Tower Hamlets.
A longtime figure in Tower Hamlets politics reacted with concern, telling Standard: “This is going to be a strange version of a one-party state,” adding that there was a “huge failure” by Met Police to take allegations of electoral abuse seriously in 2014. d.
Acknowledging the defeat, Mr Biggs said: “I wish success to my successor, who will have a huge challenge to do this job. This is a difficult concert, as they say.
“My role now is to accept defeat kindly. I love Tower Hamlets, this is a great place and I want it to be a strong and better place and I pass on my best wishes to my successor and I hope he will make it happen. ”
Elected mayors have more power than traditional council leaders because they can approve big plans on their own without the support of other councilors. Whoever wins the mayoral race actually gains control of the council.
The counting of advisory positions will take place on Sunday, and the final composition of the council will be announced by Sunday evening.
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