Rahman fails to make Labour list for Tower Hamlets mayor

THE controversial former leader of Tower Hamlets council has failed to make it on the revised shortlist for applicants to run as Labour candidate for elected mayor. Lutfur Rahman had made a legal challenge when his name was left off, but failed again at the weekend

By Mike Brooke

THE controversial former leader of Tower Hamlets council has failed to make it on the revised shortlist for applicants to run as Labour candidate for the first-ever elected mayor in London's East End.

Lutfur Rahman had made a legal challenge when his name was left of the original short-list of three last month.

The London Labour Party which oversees selections in the local party which is on 'special measures' was forced to re-run the process and interviewed 13 applicants at the weekend.

But again the selection panel has rejected his bid to be mayor, who would control an annual budget of �1 billion in one of Britain's most-deprived boroughs.

Cllr Rahman had faced criticism in the Channel 4 Dispatches programme over allegations of links with Islamic Forum for Europe.

Labour's shortlist of five names announced yesterday includes Tower Hamlets council's current leader Helal Abbas, East London GLA member and former council leader John Biggs and another former leader Michael Keith. Also on the new shortlist are the council children's services cabinet member Shiria Khatun and health expert Rosna Mortuza.

Local party members vote on July 31 for their choice of who runs for Labour in Tower Hamlets first election for mayor in October.