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Aspire (political party)

Not to be confused with Aspire (Energy), Acer Aspire, or Aspire Academy.
Aspire
LeaderLutfur Rahman
TreasurerJahed Choudhury
Nominating OfficerLilian Collins
Founded26 January 2018
Preceded byTower Hamlets First
Headquarters28 Castlemain Street
Whitechapel
London
Ideology
Political positionLeft-wing[4]
Tower Hamlets Council
21 / 45

Aspire is a local political party in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, England, formed by Lutfur Rahman and councillors elected as members of his Tower Hamlets First party. After Tower Hamlets First was removed from the register of political parties following voting fraud and malpractice, its councillors formed the Tower Hamlets Independent Group (THIG).[5][6] After some defections, the remaining Tower Hamlets Independent Group councillors registered formally as a political party in 2018.[7] Most of its elected members were former Labour Party members, with a few exceptions.

It was the largest political opposition on Tower Hamlets Council before the 2018 May elections and then gained majority control of the council in the 2022 election, winning 24 of the council's 45 seats. Rahman was also re-elected mayor in those elections.

Background

Tower Hamlets First was established by Lutfur Rahman on 18 September 2013. Formerly the Labour leader of Tower Hamlets council, Rahman had been elected as Mayor in 2010. The party stood candidates in the 2014 Tower Hamlets Council election,[8][9] where it won 18 out of 45 seats, becoming the second-largest party on Tower Hamlets Council and the fifth-largest political party out of all London borough councils. The party was suspended in 23 April 2015, after an election court report that found Rahman "personally guilty of 'corrupt or illegal practices' or both" with the party labelled as a "one-man band".[10] The party was removed from the list of political parties maintained by the Electoral Commission on 29 April 2015.[11]

Following the dissolution of Tower Hamlets First, the majority of former party members established the Tower Hamlets Independent Group (THIG) to co-ordinate activity on the council. Six members subsequently left the Tower Hamlets Independent Group to form the competing People's Alliance group.[12] The remaining THIG councillors then became Aspire.[citation needed]

Although then barred from running for elected office himself, Rahman was behind the party. Aspire was his second attempt at a new party after an application under the name 'Tower Hamlets Together'[13] was rejected.[14]

The ideology of the party is self-described as a form of democratic socialism.[15] It has been criticized for only fielding candidates of Bangladeshi heritage for the 2022 Tower Hamlets local election, with only three of their candidates being female.[16][17] Shortly after these elections, new allegations over voter intimidation, family voting and impersonating voters were raised by independent observers.[18]

Initial representation

Between its formation and the May 2018 elections, Aspire councillors occupied 10 of the 45 council seats on the Tower Hamlets Council.[19]

Name Ward
Ohid Ahmed Lansbury
Suluk Ahmed Spitalfields & Banglatown
Mahbub Alam St Dunstan's
Gulam Kibria Choudhury Poplar
Harun Miah Shadwell
Md. Maium Miah Canary Wharf
Mohammed Mufti Miah Bromley North
Muhammad Ansar Mustaquim St Peter's
Oliur Rahman Stepney Green
Gulam Robbani Spitalfields & Banglatown

Ohid Ahmed was a senior Labour Party councillor as a cabinet member between 2002 and 2010.[20] He was also the Labour Party candidate for West Suffolk in 2010,[21] and Deputy Mayor of Tower Hamlets between 2010 and 2014.[22] Harun Miah was formerly a Respect Party Councillor.[23] Maium Miah was formerly a Conservative Party councillor for Millwall before joining Tower Hamlets First, and stood in Canary Wharf ward in 2014.[24]

The party's general secretary, Lillian Collins, was formerly Labour's chair in Tower Hamlets.[25]

Election results

2018 Borough Council Election

Ohid Ahmed stood in the 2018 election for directly elected Mayor of Tower Hamlets,[26] coming third behind Labour and the People's Alliance of Tower Hamlets, a group that had earlier split from the Tower Hamlets Independent Group. Ahmed was endorsed by Rahman.[25]

On 4 April 2018, Aspire launched its campaign for the borough elections in Tower Hamlets,[25] with a full slate of 45 council candidates.[27] It won no seats.

By-elections 2018–2022

Aspire stood in two council by-elections in Tower Hamlets on 7 February 2019, with Harun Miah winning the one in Shadwell ward and Ohid Ahmed coming second in Lansbury ward.[28]

On 12 August 2021, Aspire stood in the by-election to the Weavers ward via candidate Kabir Ahmed winning 47%. He had served some years as Councillor until 2014. That election followed the death of the Labour incumbent.[29]

2022 Borough Council election

Following a five-year ban from holding public office, Lutfur Rahman was again elected as Mayor of Tower Hamlets in the May 2022 local elections, defeating Labour incumbent John Biggs.[30] Aspire was also successful in the Borough Council election, winning a majority with 24 out of 45 seats.[31]

References

  1. ^ Hill, Dave (17 May 2022). "Tower Hamlets: Like it or not, Lutfur Rahman is a popular politician. But what kind of Mayor will he be this time?". On London. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  2. ^ Rucker, Sam (15 December 2022). "Councillor condemns Luftur Rahman for 'populist agenda'". East London Lines. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  3. ^ Bond, David (13 May 2022). "The shock return of Tower Hamlets' divisive mayor". Evening Standard.
  4. ^ Rahman, Lutfur (9 May 2022). "I'm a Socialist, and I Just Beat the Labour Party in London's Poorest Borough". Jacobin. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
  5. ^ Brooke, Mike (23 November 2017). "Tower Hamlets councillors storm out over vote to cooperate with police probing corrupt Lutfur Rahman election". East London Advertiser. Archived from the original on 3 December 2021.
  6. ^ Baynes, Mark (24 January 2017). "Exclusive: Lutfur Rahman making political comeback with new party". Love Wapping. Archived from the original on 27 January 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2024.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  7. ^ Brooke, Mike (28 February 2018). "Labour facing 2nd Tower Hamlets opposition group now recognised by Electoral Commission as 'Aspire' party". The Docklands & East London Advertiser. Archived from the original on 21 October 2020. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
  8. ^ "Local Elections - Thursday, 22nd May, 2014". Tower Hamlets Council. Archived from the original on 29 May 2014. Retrieved 25 May 2014.
  9. ^ "Manifesto 2014" (PDF). Tower Hamlets First. 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 May 2014.
  10. ^ "Erlam & Anor v Rahman & Anor [2015] EWHC 1215 (QB) (23 April 2015)". England and Wales High Court. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  11. ^ "Tower Hamlets First". Electoral Commission. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
  12. ^ "Fraud-Free Zone". Private Eye. No. 1410. 22 January 2016. p. 18.
  13. ^ "Disgraced ex-mayor 'trying to form party'". BBC News. 3 February 2017.
  14. ^ "Disgraced former Tower Hamlets Mayor Lutfur Rahman given approval to form new political party - Eastlondonlines". 30 January 2018.
  15. ^ "I'm a Socialist, and I Just Beat the Labour Party in London's Poorest Borough". jacobinmag.com. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  16. ^ Baynes, Mark (27 January 2022). "Lutfur's Aspire Party Rejects Diversity With 100% Bangladeshi Candidate List". East End Enquirer. Retrieved 10 May 2022.
  17. ^ Head, Tom (24 May 2022). "'Controversial' Aspire Party to run Tower Hamlets – with ALL-MALE council".
  18. ^ Bond, David (20 May 2022). "New questions over voting and 'intimidating' crowds in Tower Hamlets election". Evening Standard.
  19. ^ "Mayor and Councillors". Tower Hamlets Council. Archived from the original on 1 May 2015. Retrieved 12 June 2015.
  20. ^ "Councillor details - Councillor Ohid Ahmed". democracy.towerhamlets.gov.uk. 31 May 2022.
  21. ^ "Candidates discuss rural services". 15 April 2010 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
  22. ^ "Delegation of Tower Hamlets Councillors Visit Jenin!". 14 September 2013.
  23. ^ Peace, Timothy (2013a). "All I'm asking, is for a little respect: Assessing the Performance of Britain's Most Successful Radical Left Party". Parliamentary Affairs. 66. pp. 405–424. doi:10.1093/pa/gsr064.
  24. ^ Sam-Daliri, Nadia (2 August 2011). "Tory cllr for Millwall defects to join Rahman".
  25. ^ a b c Brooke, Mike (5 April 2018). "Tower Hamlets ex-mayor Lutfur Rahman endorses Aspire candidate Ohid Ahmed". East London Advertiser.
  26. ^ Brooke, Mike (7 March 2018). "Tower Hamlets mayor election rivals in tug-of-war as 'breach of protocol' row erupts".
  27. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 May 2018. Retrieved 20 April 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  28. ^ "Disgraced mayor's party win Tower Hamlets by-election". BBC News. 8 February 2019.
  29. ^ "Weavers Ward By Election | Thursday 12 August 2021". www.towerhamlets.gov.uk.
  30. ^ Allegretti, Aubrey (6 May 2022). "Lutfur Rahman wins Tower Hamlets mayor vote after five-year ban". The Guardian. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
  31. ^ "Local Elections - Thursday, 5th May, 2022". Tower Hamlets Council. 5 May 2022. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
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