LABOUR councillors are facing a gruelling reselection at Tower Hamlets in East London before they can stand for re-election at next year’s local Town Hall polls. Some members of the ruling administration are already rumoured to have been de-selected in a tough weeding out’ of party members with links to certain outside bodies

By Mike Brooke

LABOUR councillors are facing a gruelling reselection at Tower Hamlets in East London this week before they can stand for re-election at next year’s local Town Hall polls.

Some members of the ruling administration are already rumoured to have been de-selected in what is believed to be a tough weeding out’ of party members with links to certain outside bodies.

London regional party bosses have been holding selection panels at Labour’s local offices in Bethnal Green all week with councillors and other prospective candidates arriving each day.

London Regional Director Ken Clark is supervising the process after the local party was put on special measures.’

But his office denied rumours that at least five councillors have been de-selected.

The regional party HQ told the East London Advertiser in a statement: “It is not true that five sitting councillors have been informed that they have been deselected.

“For similar reasons, it would not be appropriate to confirm names of successful candidates at this stage.”

The panel has so far had 130 applicants from party members wanting to run as Labour candidates for the 51 seats on the council next May.

Half have been interviewed so far by the assessment panel headed by London Labour Party chair Len Duvall, former chair of the Metropolitan Police Authority.