This is a more Tower Hamlets centred report which includes some elements from the discussion on the previous item.

New Labour’s strategists in Tower Hamlets will be worried by the election of twelve Respect councillors. The Respect group is the official opposition to Labour’s twenty-six members, seven Tories and six Liberal Democrats.

Ward results varied from 46.4% to 11.8% and averaged 22.8% across the borough. To achieve such consistently high results reveals both the extent of support for Respect and the roots it has put down in this part of east London. There were times when it looked like Labour’s vote would collapse. The days preceding the election brought scandal after scandal for the party. Canvassers reported very little support even in its former heartland areas. At public meetings and hustings Labour candidates repeatedly faced public humiliation as they lost arguments and were jeered by audience. At residents’ association meetings and a large meeting of the London Leaseholders’ Association largely white audiences ridiculed Labour candidates and cheered their Respect opponents. Here was visible evidence of Respect’s emergence as a real local political force.

When the results came in several Labour cabinet members including the mayor and lead member for housing were not re-elected. Nevertheless the Labour vote held up surprisingly well. Two factors prevented the election of more Respect candidates. One was large-scale theft of votes. This is being investigated. The other was a pattern of non-Bangladeshi candidates receiving fewer votes than Bangladeshi Respect candidates. Branch chair Glyn Robbins received three hundred fewer votes than Medhi Hassan. In Bromley by Bow Rebecca Townsend got 923 votes while Rania Khan was elected with 1308 votes. This suggests, among other things, that Respect does not quite have the automatic claim on its voters’ loyalty that Labour has achieved over decades.

Respect has been given a new lease of life both nationally and in Tower Hamlets by these results. Clarifying the relationship between the new councillors and taking the lead in local struggles will put it on the path to consolidating its success and making a bid to control the council in the 2010 elections.