Labour challenges Mayor Lutfur Rahman over rising East End crime

A “listening” campaign has been launched in London’s East End by Labour to help tackle rising crime in the run-up to next April’s election for Tower Hamlets mayor.

Worries about crime and street yobs is topping the list of public concerns, with offences up by nine per cent since 2010 when the party lost control at the Town Hall to Lutfur Rahman’s independent administration.

Now it is challenging him over the increase when crime is said to be falling by two per cent in the rest of London.

Labour’s John Biggs who is challenging Rahman at the polls is to hold a series of public meetings aimed at asking residents what their priorities are.

“Many of the challenges we face have complex roots,” he said. “That’s why politicians need to listen to the people who live here to understand the nature of local problems better.

“We can stop those involved in street crime descending further into more serious criminal activities by stepping in early to combat disruptive behaviour.”

The Town Hall administration has been criticised for “doing nothing about rising crime” and focussing on publicity ‘crime walkabouts’ Instead.

The Labour crime spokesperson on Tower Hamlets Council, Mizan Chaudhury, said: “Too often the young people who get caught up in low level antisocial behaviour, then graduate to a life of more serious crime.”

London Mayor Boris Johnson has also come under fire for cutting police services which will see over half the police stations closed in the East End, with neighbourhood policing teams cut from six officers to only two.