Former mayor of Tower Hamlets struck off roll, hit with £86k costs order

The former elected Mayor of Tower Hamlets, Lutfur Rahman, has this week been struck off the roll of solicitors and ordered to pay £86,400 in costs.

The Solicitors Regulation Authority prosecuted Rahman before the Solicitors Disciplinary Tribunal over the following allegations, which were all found to be proven:

1.1 By a Judgment of an Election Court dated 23 April 2015, he was found personally guilty and guilty by his agents of: 

a) an illegal practice, contrary to s.106 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 ("The 1983 Act"); 

b) a corrupt practice, contrary to s.113 of The 1983 Act; and thereby he failed to: 

1.1.1 uphold the rule of law and the proper administration of justice; 

1.1.2 act with integrity; 

1.1.3 behave in a way that maintains the trust the public places in him and in the provision of legal services. 

1.2 His evidence to the Election Court attracted adverse criticism from the Court and thereby he failed to: 

1.2.1 uphold the rule of law and the proper administration of justice; 

1.2.2 act with integrity; 

1.2.3 behave in a way that maintains the trust the public places in him and the provision of legal services. 

Rahman, who does not hold a current practising certificate, had denied all the allegations.

In April 2015 Judge Richard Mawrey QC, sitting as an Election Commissioner, ordered the election of the mayor for London Borough of Tower Hamlets to be re-run, after finding Rahman, the incumbent, guilty of corrupt and illegal practices. The subsequent by-election was won by Labour’s John Biggs.

In June this year Rahman saw the Administrative Court reject his challenge to a five-year ban on him standing for public office.