Livingstone lobbies for Rahman’s return to Labour
KEN Livingstone announced today he is urging Ed Miliband to allow new Tower Hamlets mayor Lutfur Rahman back into the Labour party.
The Labour London mayoral candidate said the decision could be based on how well Mr Rahman fares in the coming weeks and months running the borough as its first directly elected mayor.
He told reporters: “I’ve talked to Ed Miliband and the general secretary of the Labour party about this.
“I’ve been discussing this with virtually everyone in the party. The general consensus is that there is a lot to be said for letting this all calm down and seeing how Lutfur performs.”
Mr Rahman was suspended as the Labour party’s mayoral candidate in September after fears were raised of vote rigging and around his conduct.
He chose to stand as an Independent and won the October 21st election with more than double the votes of his nearest rival, Labour’s replacement Helal Abbas.
Mr Livingstone came under fire from Labour members after joining Mr Rahman on the campaign trial, despite Labour insisting anyone seen canvassing for a rival candidate would be suspended.
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It is thought that Mr Livingstone may bid for his former colleague to be reinstated at Labour’s National Executive Committee meeting on November 30.
