New Tower Hamlets Mayor Calls For Unity

James Drury
By James Drury Last edited 105 months ago
New Tower Hamlets Mayor Calls For Unity

John Biggs

Tower Hamlets' new directly-elected mayor John Biggs called for unity in his victory speech last night, aiming to put years of divisive politics and enmity behind the borough.

The Labour politician beat independent candidate Rabina Khan on second preference votes, after failing to win more than 50% of the first-choice.

Biggs said: "I am a Labour mayor and will pursue Labour values but I think what’s important in Tower Hamlets is that we recognise the events of this past year and more with the enormous friction in our great borough and we need, under a new mayor to pull things back together again.

"Without dwelling too much on the past we should remind ourselves why we are in this position and we need to overcome that and we need to move forward."

Voters went to the polls after previous mayor Lutfur Rahman was ousted by a court for corrupt electoral practices. Biggs received a total of 32,754 votes, including second preference votes. Khan, a former member of Rahman's Tower Hamlets First Party, got 26,384 votes, including second preferences. Conservative Peter Golds was third with 5,940.

Turnout in the election was 37.73%.

Last Updated 12 June 2015