The Long March towards a post-Covid East End #HumDekhenge

Recently, the Tower Hamlets Labour Party had an internal selection process for the Mayoral candidate for the next local elections in 2022. Below is a brief explanation and insight into the campaign post-Covid inclusive politics.

Mayoral Trigger Ballot Party Time

As we came out of the Covid lockdown, with a furlough scheme coming to an end. Members of the Tower Hamlets Labour Party had a trigger ballot foisted on them in the middle of the Eid holidays and festivities. Despite the short time, members from all sections and demographics came together to put a challenge and offer an alternative to the current status quo.

It was an amazing campaign against the odds, from all sections of the party. Demonstrating to all that we have more in common than divides us. The passion for democracy and fairness overriding differences in policies. 

In this campaign, new friendships have been forged, and old ones rekindled. Shout out to fellow Labour Councillors who raised their heads above the parapet and stood with the members and their principles. We all tried to demonstrate that another East End is possible, an alternative to what is on offer. Politics of ideals and the common good. And nearly succeeded. 

As Wellington said, after Waterloo.

“It was a close-run thing”

Below is a table of results:

Number	Branch Labour Party	For open selection	Automatically Reselect Mayor John Biggs	Notes
1	Bethnal Green		x	One vote difference
2	Bow East	x
3	Bow West		x
4	Bromley North		x	One vote difference
5	Bromley South		x
6	Blackwall and Cubitt Town		x
7	Canary Wharf		x
8	Island Gardens		x
9	Lansbury & Poplar	x
10	Limehouse & Mile End		x
11	Spitalfields & Banglatown	x
12	St. Dunstan’s	x
13	Stepney Green		x
14	Shadwell	x
15	St. Katharine’s & Wapping		x
16	St. Peter’s	x
17	Weavers		x
18	Whitechapel	x
Total		7	11

A new Civic Identity, for a post-Covid East End

This was the first step towards bringing together stakeholders and the community, for a vision of a post-Covid Tower Hamlets. Covid has shown us what was wrong with Tower Hamlets politics, the campaign for an open selection was the first step towards that. The campaign brought together all factions and all demographics that make up the local Labour Party based on democratic principles, a forerunner to an alternative to the current perception of divisions and transactional politics.

Perhaps the seeds have been sown for a ‘New Kind of Politics’. Watch this space…

Epilogue: Once upon a time in Whitechapel #HumDekhenge

“We shall see
Certainly we, too, shall see
that day that has been promised to us”

Fiaz Ahmed Faiz – Hum Dekhenge

I would like to thank the branch executive members at Whitechapel Labour. A branch where I have now served for three years as secretary. Thanking them for deciding to recommend an open selection and be the first Branch Labour Party in Tower Hamlets to vote for an open selection. With the Chair of the Branch saying, even if we are the only branch so be, but at least we have shown them, ‘hum dekhenge’.

This probably was a reference to the famous poem by Faiz Ahmed Faz, which has now become the anthem of protest throughout South Asia and beyond. The poet wrote the words in response to a military coup and the suspension of democracy in his home country, he was eventually imprisoned for the poem. First sung in protest by the classical singer, Iqbal Bano. She sang in front of a 50,000 crowd, in defiance of the military ban. The military dictatorship is no longer, but the words and vision of Faiz Ahmed Faiz, remain with us.

The campaign for an open selection is the beginning of the journey for a politics the East End deserves, instead of the current morass we find ourselves in. We shall see, Hum Dekhenge!

“And we oppressed
Beneath our feet will have
this earth shiver, shake and beat
And heads of rulers will be struck
With crackling lightening
and thunder roars.”

Fiaz Ahmed Faiz – Hum Dekhenge