Cllr. Saima Mahmud

LBWF, Community Ward Forums, and freedom of speech

December 29, 2017 Cllr. Saima Mahmud, LBWF spin, the Labour Party in Waltham Forest

As this blog regularly points out, LBWF devotes a surprising amount of time and attention to what PR spinners call ‘controlling the narrative’, that is vigorously promoting a particular, and self-serving, version of events, while at the same time seeking to sideline criticism. Recent developments add a further concerning illustration. Trevor Calver is a community activist in Chingford, a leading member of the Waltham Forest Dyslexia Association, a determined campaigner on issues ranging from asbestos to the preservation of free parking bays throughout the borough, and a one time Independent ca... »

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Councillor Saima Mahmud’s surreptitious Town Hall award ceremonies: a further update

April 5, 2017 Cllr. Saima Mahmud, Uncategorized, Waltham Forest Labour Party

Regular readers of this blog will remember that last year’s Mayor, Cllr. Saima Mahmud, hosted surreptitious award ceremonies, organised by two private citizens, in the Mayor’s Parlour; and that the beneficiaries of these events included several controversial figures. The most unpleasant without doubt was the Pakistani Senator Sirajul Haq, a man known, amongst other things, for ranting about the Jews and opposing legislation on domestic violence – in other words espousing views which are not only abhorrent in themselves, but also (important in this context) diametrically opposed to LBWF communi... »

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Momentum in Waltham Forest: the promise and the reality UPDATED

January 30, 2017 Cllr. Saima Mahmud, Cllr. Shabana Dhedi/Qadir, Momentum, the Labour Party in Waltham Forest

As is well known by now, Momentum promises a ‘new politics’, one characterised by, amongst other things, openness, transparency, and enhanced democratic participation. Since this blog has always supported such unarguably laudable values, it is worth asking whether the Momentum group here in Waltham Forest is walking the walk, that is living up to the aims of the organisation as a whole. Predictably, Momentum Waltham Forest communicates most extensively on Facebook, and so an obvious starting point is to look at what it has been posting. The bulk of the material revolves around calls to support... »

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Cllr. Clare Coghill and her ‘little list’

November 16, 2016 Cllr. Chris Robbins, Cllr. Saima Mahmud, Cllr. Shabana Dhedi/Qadir, the Labour Party in Waltham Forest

Politicians who brandish ‘little lists’ seem more prone than most to getting into trouble. The prime example is of course one-time Minister Peter Lilley, who pulled this trick in a speech at the 1992 Conservative conference, received widespread opprobrium, and then disappeared into obscurity. Now Labour Councillor Clare Coghill – thought to be Leader Chris Robbins’ choice as his successor – may be in danger of reaping the same whirlwind. The scene is a jolly gathering of comrades at a local hostelry. Cllr. Coghill holds court. The conversation turns to the future, and how the Labour Grou... »

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Love Wapping investigates the Islamist takeover of Tower Hamlets UPDATED

July 29, 2016 Cllr. Ahsan Khan, Cllr. Liaquat Ali, Cllr. Saima Mahmud, Cllr. Shabana Dhedi/Qadir, the Labour Party in Waltham Forest, Tower Hamlets, Uncategorized

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... »

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

June 6, 2016 Cllr. Ahsan Khan, Cllr. Saima Mahmud, Cllr. Terry Wheeler, the Labour Party in Waltham Forest

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... »

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

May 26, 2016 Cllr. Ahsan Khan, Cllr. Liaquat Ali, Cllr. Saima Mahmud, Cllr. Shabana Dhedi/Qadir, the Labour Party in Waltham Forest

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... »

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Extremism in Waltham Forest: a quick roundup of the recent lowpoints

April 29, 2016 Martin Esom, Prevent

It has been a busy few months on the extremism front in Waltham Forest, so here is a short roundup of the major stories that have been featured on this blog (links to the full versions are pasted beneath). The material of course largely speaks for itself. One point is important though. LBWF Chief Executive Martin Esom claims some expertise in counter-extremism work, and chairs the London Prevent Board. Perhaps he should spend more time looking at what is right under his nose. January 2015 Investigative reporter Andrew Gilligan recounts the following: ‘Last November, in Leyton, east London, the... »

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