Former mayor makes ‘divisive’ remarks after defeat

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Lutfur Rahman will be watched “like a hawk”, his defeated rival has said after his loss in the mayoral race.

Mr Biggs told BBC London said: “I suggest people will be watching him like a hawk, but I don’t want his administration or the council to be totally dominated by that, though.

“I think people need to assume he has been elected on a manifesto, he has made promises, and he needs to go out and try to deliver them.

“If he can, then great. If that’s the change people want, then great.”

“We’re potentially quite a divided community,” he said. “We totally get on quite well together in Tower Hamlets but his campaign was totally focused on one community. His administration is 25 men, all from one community.

“I guess that’s worrying but it shouldn’t be worrying because we’re in a multicultural community and everyone should stand up for everyone else, which is what we have tried to do in the Labour Party.”

In response, a spokesman for Mr Rahman criticised the former mayor’s comments.

“These divisive remarks by the previous mayor illustrate why the electorate considered him unfit to lead a multicultural borough in the 21st Century,” the spokesman said.

“A worldview in which ethnic minority politicians can only represent ethnic minority constituents belongs in the Stone Age.

“Mayor Rahman’s record of measures like university bursaries and free social care benefited everyone in our borough and the 40,000 people who voted for him last Thursday are similarly diverse.”