Lutfur Rahman to appeal High Court finding of corrupt and illegal practices

Former Tower Hamlets Council elected mayor Lutfur Rahman is to appeal last week’s High Court ruling that he had been guilty of corrupt and illegal practices.

Judge Richard Mawrey, sitting as an Election Commissioner, ordered that the election of mayor be re-run and barred Rahman for standing. The judge said the court would report Rahman to the Solicitors Regulation Authority.

Judge Mawrey also found Alibor Chaudhury, an aide to Rahman, guilty of a corrupt practice.

The case followed a petition brought by four residents of Tower Hamlets under the Representation of the People Act 1983, making a series of allegations over the conduct of the 22 May 2014 election.

A statement issued today by Tower Hamlets First, Rahman’s party, said: “Lutfur Rahman will be appealing the judgment made against him at last Thursday’s election court. He continues to reject all claims of wrongdoing and we hold that the integrity of the court system was marred by the bias, slurs and factual inaccuracies in the election judgment.”

A petition in Rahman’s defence has been set up and a rally will be held.

The statement said Tower Hamlets First councillors rejected the election court’s claims that it was nothing more than a ‘one man band’. The party added that it continued to support both Rahman and Choudhury, who was Cabinet Member for Resources at Tower Hamlets.

“Whilst Lutfur Rahman appeals, Councillor Oli Rahman has stepped in as acting mayor and will be working to ensure that top quality council services continue to be accessible to all residents,” the party said.

The party is to decide this week on a candidate to endorse in the forthcoming mayoral election and election for Stepney Ward.