Tottenham MP David Lammy wrote last month that Tower Hamlets residents lived in ‘animosity and hostility.’

I’m not sure what Tower Hamlets he’s talking about - I see residents of all backgrounds getting on and going about their daily lives, cheerful in spite of the challenges they face.

Four-out-of-five residents in Tower Hamlets think that people from across communities live in harmony, and we are the second-happiest inner London borough.‬ ‬

It’s that community spirit; jovial, caring and defiant in equal measure that will get us through whatever 2015 throws at us. And it’s that spirit which it’s my job to ensure our council materially supports; by doing whatever it can to create great schools for our children, affordable homes for our residents, beautiful parks for people to relax in and well-stocked libraries for those of all ages to learn in.‬ ‬

Across the country, there is a problem with division. Islamophobic attacks have gone up by 65 per cent in London. Anti-Semitism is on the rise. The immigrant-baiting fear-mongers of Ukip now have two MPs. The Tories (and some unscrupulous people in Labour) feel they need to victimise the vulnerable to pick up votes.‬

This year my vision is to strengthen communities by equipping this borough with the resources it needs even as the Tories try to pull the rug out from under us.

We don’t fight the politics of division with more division, we fight it with solidarity and by caring about each other.‬