Lutfur Rahman’s return beckons

Westminster is in recess but many of its finest are out and about, knocking up doors in their local constituencies. Council elections are just five weeks away and while some struggle to muster enthusiasm for such contests, the result will invariably be seen as a referendum on the two main party leaders. But amid all the paper candidates and MP wannabes, one name on a forthcoming ballot paper clearly jumps out: Lutfur Rahman, the prospective mayor of Tower Hamlets.

Steerpike has long covered the antics of Rahman, who in 2015 earned himself the dubious distinction of being Britain’s first directly elected mayor to be removed after being found guilty of electoral fraud. His five-year ban now having expired, the Tower Hamlets politician is now once again running for his old job and is regarded by local insiders as the favourite to win in May. One leaflet distributed today proudly displays an endorsement from Ken Livingstone and proclaims:

I have twice been elected Mayor of Tower Hamlets.