Cllr. Ahsan Khan

Some councillors seem to have been put on earth purely to entertain us. But are they having the last laugh?

In a recent Waltham Forest Echo story, Local Democracy Reporter Josh Mellor reports that one of Waltham Forest’s finest, Cllr. Alistair Strathern, is standing for Labour in the eagerly awaited Mid Bedfordshire bye-election, and while a bit hazy about local issues, believes he is an upgrade on the Tory incumbent, Nadine Dorries, because she has been a ‘“part-time M.P”’, presumably a reference to her novels and TV work. A nice attack line, perhaps, but a somewhat strange one nevertheless. For since 2021, while Cllr. Strathern has been Cabinet portfolio holder for children and youn... »

Love Wapping investigates the Islamist takeover of Tower Hamlets UPDATED

Mark Baynes’ blog Love Wapping is fast becoming indispensable for those interested in how East London is developing. A couple of days ago, he published part one of his investigation into Islamists in Tower Hamlets: http://lovewapping.org/2016/07/tower-hamlets-london-borough-hijacked-by-fundamental-islamists/ It makes a very interesting read, and I’ll  be posting the follow-ups here in due course. His discussion of the links between Islamic Forum Europe (IFE), a fundamental Islamist group inspired by the teachings of Abul Ala Maududi, and Jamaat-e-Islami are pertinent. As previous p... »

The Evening Standard publishes new revelations about the Cllr. Ahsan Khan affair UPDATED

The Evening Standard yesterday rendered a public service by publishing further information about Cllr. Ahsan Khan’s proclivity for surepticiously handing out community ‘awards’ (as he describes them), using the Mayor’s Parlour, with the Mayor of course present. The full story is here: http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/east-london-council-gives-award-to-leader-of-extreme-islamist-party-a3284671.html The headline and first paragraph give a flavour: So the full truth is gradually beginning to emerge. Cllr. Khan’s beneficiaries included the repulsive, the undeserv... »

Cllr. Ahsan Khan and a Mayoral reception to honour ‘a friend of mine’ UPDATED

Browsing YouTube at the weekend, I was amused to come across this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F9fLay0VLbE It is a short film shot in the Town Hall, at which Waltham Forest’s Mayor honours a guest. One interesting thing is that the Mayor in question is not Cllr. Saima Mahmud, bur Cllr. Terry Wheeler, her predecessor – suggesting that the practice of Mayoral honouring which has recently caused such controversy is nothing new. In addition, the first few seconds of the film are very illuminating. Cllr. Khan introduces the event, and states that it is being held to honour ‘th... »

Ex-mayor Cllr. Saima Mahmud and her ‘receptions to honour’ at the Town Hall

The recent fuss about Cllr. Ahsan Khan has revealed that the 2015-16 Mayor, Cllr. Saima Mahmud, habitually hosted receptions in the Town Hall, at which supposedly distinguished visitors were honoured with ‘mementoes’. There are several questions that arise. One is about whether this practice accords with basic democratic principles. It would be nice to think that those enjoying Mayoral honour were chosen openly and without favour. But it transpires that this was far from the case, with one or two ordinary citizens arranging a large number of the events, and little or no input from anyone on th... »

The Cllr. Ahsan Khan affair: new revelations UPDATED

Harry’s Place has further revelations about the Cllr. Khan affair: http://hurryupharry.org/2016/04/18/meet-the-friends-of-corbynista-vicar-steven-saxby/ It certainly does seem strange that a person who apparently feels the imagery pasted below is acceptable now finds himself honoured with a ‘community award’ by councillors, including Madam Mayor, on LBWF property. I’ve pointed LBWF Chief Executive Martin Esom to this specific detail, and again will post his reply. UPDATE I e-mailed Mr. Esom about this at 07.31 on 19th April. As of now – 08.06 on the 28th April ... »

Cllr. Ahsan Khan steps down amid talk of inadmissible intolerance UPDATED

Word reaches me that earlier in the week Labour councillors were circulated with an e-mail which announced that Cllr. Ahsan Khan, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, had stepped down from the Cabinet, pending an independent investigation by the LBWF Monitoring Officer. What appears to have happened is that Cllr. Khan organised an event in the Town Hall, attended by the Mayor, which was then the subject of a video posted online, the latter put together by one Qari Mahmood and propagated by Khalid Iqbal Malik. It is this video that is the source of the problem, because it is said to display... »