Let’s remind ourselves what we are dealing with, when we take on Tower Hamlets Council.
- Bought And Paid For Planning Permission.
- Voting Fraud In Mayoral Election.
- Street Crime “out of control”.
- Met Police Tell Tower Hamlets To investigate Itself.
Tower Hamlets has long been one of the Labour Party’s most prized strongholds.
The political activism of poorly paid dock workers in London’s East End helped lead to the party’s formation at the beginning of the 20th century and Labour has dominated politics in the borough ever since.
Nine years ago, however, power over this party heartland was controversially ripped from its grasp with the election of Lutfur Rahman, Britain’s first elected Muslim mayor, who stood as an independent.
That triggered a bitter political war marred by allegations of racism and vote-rigging as Labour fought tooth and nail to win it back.
Allegations emerged, reportedly made in tapes leaked to the Sunday Time, of a businessman linked to this Labour-led London authority offering to deliver planning permission for certain developments in exchange for a special "premium".
Tower Hamlets Council said it referred the case to the National Crime Agency.
The Labour Party said it was "committed to fighting corruption".
The allegations are said to relate to two proposed skyscrapers with more than 600 homes on Alpha Square, Canary Wharf.
Labour said it would not comment on the case but stated that "corruption steals from the many to line the pockets of the few".
'Open and transparent'
The authority is now led by Labour mayor John Biggs, who said: "Since I was elected I have worked tirelessly to combat corruption and wrongdoing and to make the council more open and transparent.
(Yet last week, Taxi drivers were block wholesale from two TH active twitter accounts)
Biggs went on to say: "When these allegations were raised with me I immediately made the chief executive and the council's monitoring officer aware and passed over the material I was given for them to act upon.
"The council commissioned an external investigation to look into the allegations and gather evidence which was subsequently referred to the Serious Fraud Office."
A council spokesman added that "sound governance and transparency has been at the heart of Tower Hamlets Council's work since the change of leadership in 2015".
He added: "This has included a new whistle-blowing policy, clear processes for decision-making and the independent investigation of historic complaints of wrongdoing.
"Our planning process was not compromised in any way by the Alpha Square planning application."
The NCA said it "considers carefully allegations of serious bribery and corruption offences".
Source: BBC news online, Sunday Times, Daily Mail
TAXI LEAKS EXTRA BIT : via Andy Scott London Taxi PR.
Under Bow click on 1,000 suggestions link. A map will be displayed and click on the icons on map to see what is being proposed/recommended/suggested for each street/road. Scary stuff!!
The transport strategy was sneaked out on 23/24 December just before Christmas. It's all “tell them a little while we plan a lot”, trying to keep us residents in the dark.
I wonder how many know the full extent of these measures?
There must be an election in the air! by Jim Thomas
This morning Khan announces ‘Companion Passes’ to help disabled. (Although they won’t be acceptable on the four major tube lines)
Yet through TfL he is financing schemes, (like the ones in Tower Hamlets) that will see disabled Taxi passengers paying higher fares.
He also announced that the companion pass will assist people with impaired vision, who need help getting around!!!!
Is this because of the amount of Uber drivers who discriminate against people with guide dogs?.... complaints you never hear of with proper taxis.
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