Tough moves to register Tower Hamlets voters to avoid another scandal at the polls

Preparations have begun with tough scrutiny for voters to register in London’s East End for May’s elections for Mayor of London and the Assembly at City Hall.

Tower Hamlets Council wants to avoid the registration scandals in previous elections which eventually brought down Lutfur Rahman’s independent administration last year.

The authority is now under a new mayor, John Biggs, who steps down in May as the London Assembly’s budget chairman. He has represented the City and East London for almost 16 years.

Biggs leaves City Hall after his win at the polls for Mayor of Tower Hamlets last June to retake the Town Hall for Labour after Rahman was barred by the High Court which overturned the 2014 local election following the voter registration fraud scandal.

There are just 100 days until Londoners go to the polls to elect a new London Mayor and 25 Assembly members.

Greater London returning officer Jeff Jacobs said: “Decisions made at the polls in London have an impact across the whole country—the election in May for a new government for London will be no exception.”

Registrations are being staged at Tower Hamlets council’s five Ideas Stores under careful scrutiny, after previous controversy in London and general elections in 2014 and 2010 when hundreds of registered voters were found to be fraudulent.

Registrations are on four dates in February, March and April at the stores in Roman Road Market in Bow, Chrisp Street Market in Poplar, Whitechapel Market in Whitechapel, Canary Wharf next to the Isle of Dogs and Watney Street Market in Stepney.

The first registration day is February 16 (Tuesday), then a month later on March 16 (Weds), and two Tuesdays in April, 5 and 12, all from 9.15am to 5.30pm.

Tower Hamlets households can also register to vote online.