Below is a brief explanation as to why I will be standing down as a Labour Councillor for Mile End. Reason? To spend more time to fix our Tower Hamlets politics.
The Accidental Labour Councillor for Mile End, Tower Hamlets
My journey into being the Councillor was not something I planned but was a fulfilment of an obligation to Labour Party members in Mile End. An obligation that was a consequence of leading a campaign with the Tower Hamlets Labour BAME forum. A campaign for member selection of councillor candidates in Tower Hamlets. In a significant win, ordinary local Labour Party members got to choose their councillor candidates for the first time in nearly a quarter of a century. Therefore, local ward members insisted I stand to give them a choice and run for election.
I always intended to be a single term Councillor, but wanted to use the position of the office to solve bread and butter issues through my twice-weekly surgeries. While at the same time take up and lead campaigns to address and highlight structural issues affecting residents. Structural issues, that have led to huge socio-economic inequalities and dysfunctional politics. The outcome of such a toxic mix has led to the Borough and its Council constantly being in the news for the wrong reasons. A negative perception I wanted to address with a progressive and positive politics.
A Proud Civic Campaigning History
In the short period of time, I was a Councillor, I was conscious of my commitment to the residents to stand by their side. While at the same time navigating the rules imposed on a Labour Councillor. A difficult, fine line to walk, given the perception of a non-receptive of administration. Seen by many, reacting to any internal constructive criticism as personal attacks. More occupied with the style of being in control rather than dealing with the issues at hand.
In the short period as a Councillor, over three years, I have led or participated in the following campaigns, or spoken out constructively on the following issues:
- Objecting to the pay increase to Councillors
- Campaign to save day care nursery provisions for disabled children
- Campaign to save the Community Language Service (Mother Tongue CLS)
- Drafting the motion on the APPG working definition on Islamophobia, adopted by Tower Hamlets Council.
- Drafting the anti-academies motion, adopted by Tower Hamlets Council.
- The campaign to save the 400-year-old Whitechapel Bell Foundry.
- The #SAVEBRICKLANE Campaign
- Set up support structures and food banks during the Covid-19 pandemic, with a focus on undocumented migrants, #ScrapNRPF
- The ‘We Stand with Palestine Campaign’ and the efforts behind the scene to reverse the Council ban on the Big Ride with Palestine.
- Campaign to restore parking spaces for businesses on Burdett Road (TFL Red Route)
- Making Mile End ward safe by facilitating the arrest and shutting down of two ‘drugs line’ in the area.
- Raise concerns on the viability of the outsourcing of the Council youth service
- Cross-Party campaign to halt flawed changes to parking regulations in Tower Hamlets
- Campaign against the skewed consultation and flawed implementation of Liveable Streets (Low Traffic Neighbourhoods)
Each campaign was a piece of a wider puzzle. How do we facilitate inclusive politics, rising above the entrenched divisions that plague our local polity? How do we create a unifying civic identity based on socio-economic justice, superseding the myopic prejudices facilitated by divisive politics?
Stepping down to take on a political culture of fear and intimidation
“Only Thing We Have to Fear Is Fear Itself”
Franklin Delano Roosevelt (1882 – 1945)
I always intended to be a single term Councillor, discussing with friends, reserving my final decision. However, a recent escalation of incidents during the campaign for an open selection during the Labour Mayoral Trigger Ballot. An unprecedented level of bullying and intimidation has confirmed to me that standing down is the right decision.
In recent weeks, I have had to listen to distraught Labour Party members, who have phoned me to say they are being harassed. Put under pressure to put in false vexatious complaints against me. This being compounded by veiled indirect threats of violence against me and my children to desist from the Trigger Ballot campaign.
This has happened to me before. Leading to my administrative suspension by the Labour Party, on two occasions, exonerated on both. Leading to being suspended for a total 9 months in my three years as a Labour Councillor. Intimidation and harassment have always been a constant since I was selected as a Labour candidate. From threats of violence against myself and supporters of mine (reported to the Police). To anonymous phone calls to Council officers not to talk to me as it would be ‘bad’ for their careers.
But the recent scale and severity have even shocked me. A culture of fear, facilitated by a local administration. An administration that takes any dissenting opinion as a personal attack instead of dealing with issues. Therefore, the supporters of the administration respond to such dissent through bullying and intimidation. More interested in targeting individuals rather than meeting residents concerns.
A good example is the concerns raised about the Liveable Streets program, being shut down. Concerns centred around basic technical competency, rather than political attacks as perceived by the administration. Now coming home to roost with a landslide defeat of the local Labour Party, in the recent Weavers by-election.
Fixing Our Broken Politics
But the recent upsurge in intimidation has led me to conclude that organising activists and residents to create inclusive politics is more important. Coupled with facilitating a safe space for dissenting ideas in the local party, independent of the administration. A task I will be unable to carry out while being an elected member of such an administration. To create an alternative body politics. A politics based on empowerment and wide participation.
To replace the narrow, transactional, pork-barrel, political environment we find ourselves immersed in. We need to engage with people’s lived experiences and concerns as a local party and wider body politic. If not, we will find ourselves consigned to the footnotes of history for all the wrong reasons.
#AnotherEastEndIsPossible #HumDekhenge
“You can cut all the flowers, but you cannot keep Spring from coming.”
Pablo Neruda (1904 – 1973)
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