1350 [1340] [1336] Hrs GMT London Thursday 06 March 2014.
By © Muhammad Haque
Serious dysfunction exposed in Tower Hamlets Council.
The reported remarks by Alibor Choudhury must be seen in the context of the whole of the L B Tower Hamlets Council as being on a plane that is far removed from the ordinary population in the “deprived” inner city, East End of London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Shocking" is not the word
It is a festering crisis that looks set to get worse, because there is no visible genuinely democratic movement on the part of the paid Opposition councillors on the ramshackle, wasteful Council.
The controlling clique in Tower Hamlets Council is above the law, because the paid Opposition is lazy, opportunistic and lacks basic rigour and commitment.
This is why Alibor Choudhury was able to think that his "Black Shirt, Black Cardigan" remark was justified.
Paid Opposition councillors have in the past used derogatory words against their supposed rivals who sit as Lutfur Rahman’s supporters.
As the KHOODEELAAR! Campaign has been pointing out, there is no really democratic Tower Hamlets Council.
What exists is a sham and the paid Opposition councillors (with the lone exception of the Tory Peter Golds) are as much to blame as the “executive mayor” side.
Their “highest” point is reached when they abuse each other.
There is no real debate about the day to day corruption and lying that go on under covers of “Council services”.
To be continued.
The following online piece has been retrieved from the Archant-owned online news and commercial web site
Mourning councillor compared to Oswald Mosely’s Blackshirts Cllr Alibor Choudhury was gagged at the meeting Adam Barnett Friday, February 28, 2014 6:32 PM A senior east London councillor was gagged after comparing a grieving opposition politician to Oswald Mosely’s fascist Blackshirts. Oswald Mosely, leader of the British Union of Fascists, in 1936 Cllr Alibor Choudhury was banned from speaking at the council meeting following his public outburst against Cllr Ann Jackson, and Labour have called for him to make a public apology. Cllr Choudhury, cabinet member for resources, speaking about the opposition councillor who recently lost her husband, is reported to have said: “Oswald Mosely had his Blackshirts, John Biggs has his ‘Black Cardigans’!” The “astonished” Bow West councillor was wearing black in mourning for her ex-husband, whose funeral was this week and who is father of her children. The council voted to pass a motion that Cllr Choudhury “be not further heard”, meaning his right to speak at the meeting was removed. Cllr Ann Jackson, when she was Tower Hamlets mayor in 2007 Labour said it would be raising a formal complaint against Cllr Choudhury over his conduct. Cllr Jackson, who served as mayor in 2007, said: “I was astonished. I made an effort to attend a crucial budget council meeting a day after a family funeral, only to be subject to this kind of baseless and abhorrent abuse.” She added: “What really concerns me is Cllr Choudhury’s willingness to say anything to smear an opponent no matter how false or how hurtful it might be.” Last week Cllr Choudhury, who is an independent councillor for Shadwell, reported Labour mayoral candidate John Biggs to the Equality and Human Rights Commission for remarks Cllr Choudhury called racist. Cllr Sirajul Islam, leader of the Labour group, said: “Comparing a grieving councillor to a racist Blackshirt is deeply offensive and totally beyond the pale. “If Alibor Choudhury has any integrity what so ever he will publicly apologise for his comments and the distress they have caused.” Cllr Choudhury was unavailable for comment at time of press. Oswald Mosely was leader of the British Union of Fascists, whose members - nicknamed Blackshirts for their uniforms - marched through the East End in the 1930s attacking Jewish people.