Runners and Riders: Update
We reflected upon the previous election experience of one Sabia Kamali, noting how she had previously fought a local election in Tower Hamlets AGAINST Labour and for Tower Hamlets First, the communitarian party of disgraced former mayor, Lutfur Rahman.
Our elves have been busy unearthing more about Ms Kamali’s political history. It seems that prior to standing in Tower Hamlets she had stood for election in Newham. Again, she stood AGAINST Labour. The first time she stood she represented Galloway’s Respect Party.
In the 2006 local elections she stood as a Respect candidate in Plaistow North.
A question that members of the East Ham Central branch might want to ask is, does her progression from far-left communitarian politics mean that she has joined the mainstream or has the change in Newham Labour become so complete that Respect/Communitarian politics is normal.
Has Newham politics effectively been shaped to model the politics of Tower Hamlets?
I suppose that we shouldn’t worry too much about former Respect members joining Labour. Cllr Sarah Ruiz fought the same 2006 election for Respect and she’s now a cabinet member.
Just what does the Labour Party stand for under Fiaz?