The Labour candidate John Biggs has been elected Mayor of Tower Hamlets.
The result was as follows.
First Preferences
John Biggs Labour: 27,255, 40.00 per cent
Rabina Khan, Independent: 25,763 ,37.81 per cent
Peter Golds, Conservative: 5,940, 8.72 per cent
John Foster, Green: 2,678, 3.93 per cent
Elaine Bagshaw, Liberal Democrat: 2,152, 3.16 per cent
Andy Erlam Red – Flag Anti-Corruption: 1,768, 2.59 per cent
Nicholas McQueen United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) 1,669, 2.45 per cent
Hafiz Abdul Kadir Independent 316, 0.46 per cent
Vanessa Helen Hudson Animal Welfare Party 305, 0.45 per cent
Md Motiur Nanu Rahman Independent 292, 0.43 per cent
Second Preferences
Biggs: 5,499, 89.85 per cent
Rabina KhanL: 621, 10.15 per cent
Final result
Biggs: 32,754
Khan: 26,384
It is not usual for a Labour victory to be a source of celebration for Conservatives but in this case it is – with the chance for proper standards of democracy and governance to be restored to this borough.
Cllr Peter Golds, the Conservative candidate who finished in third place, fought a vigorous and courageous campaign.
The Government should move as quickly as possible to implement the five electoral reforms that Peter has called for and which are backed by ConservativeHome.
Eric Pickles is on the case in his new role as the Government’s “anti-corruption Tsar”, and is expected to make recommendations in due course.
See also “Don’t Stand for Electoral Fraud” – the initiative to help tackle fraud from Crimestoppers, the crime-fighting charity set up by Lord Ashcroft. Here’s our proprietor’s recent article about it in this site.