By Rumy vakarelska
On June 11, Tower Hamlets, one of the largest and most culturally and ethnically diverse London Boroughs, is holding Mayoral elections, where all local citizens, including EU citizens can vote. Today, he is visiting Whitechapel Market together with Natalie Bennett, the Green Party’s leader and an Australian-born former journalist in an opposition of the Cross Rail much discussed multi-billion construction to protect small business in the area. Please open the link of the visit ( http://www.wharf.co. uk/news/local-news/green-party-leader- natalie- bennett-9417123).
The election re-run follows an election Court Ruling, where the previous post holder, Lutfur Rahman was found guilty of illegal practices in last year’s mayoral elections. He was representing Tower Hamlets First party, which is no longer recognised by the Electoral Commission, but a new independent candidate in the face of Rabina Khan, has been endorsed by him.
Although the UK media have so far introduced as favorites Ms Khan and Labour’s John Biggs, among the ten listed below candidates, it seems that that the leading choice for the future is John Foster of the Green Party, as he seems to be the only one who represents the principle ‘one for all, all for one’.
„I’d like to challenge the poisonous invective about immigration that has crept into the political narrative in the last few years and outline the Green Party’s position on immigration“, he said in an exclusive interview for „Budilnik“ newspaper. „I’d also like to discuss the move to the right of the Labour party and its betrayal of working people, unions in favour of big business and vested interests,“ he said.
In the 2015 general elections, the winning Tory party, managed to form a government on its own, represents only 25 per cent of the UK’s registered voters. As a result, under this Parliament diverse political views are more likely to form the societal climate in Britain than ever before, especially in the face of the rise of the SNP and the rising appetite for a further devolution in the UK.
However, local elections remain the only choice between now and 2020 for finding these candidates that may a represent a unity local vote such as the mayoral candidacy of John Foster.( http://www.wharf.co. uk/news/local-news/green-party-leader- natalie- bennett-9417123)
At the high profile Digital News Summit at the London School of Economics last week, analysing what the media did right and wrong in the 2015 general election coverage, one of the panelists said the Conservative Party won many seats across the country and out of London by investing a lot of money in campaigning and marketing.
Although this seems to be stating the obvious, the context of this observation is that many political claims were too general and obscure for the voters to choose how to vote.
So, many many voters, especially in London casted their papers tactically for parties, rather than candidates.
However, tactical voting in local elections most often works best if residents choose how to vote selecting the individual candidate first, then for the party they represent, as this order represents best long-stranding local interests. In addition, there is no evidence of major investment in campaigning for the local elections so far in Tower Hamlets, which can only make voting on merit easier.
A Londoner, John Foster is also professional journalist and media entrepreneur, who also has lived and worked across a few countries in the Middle East and Africa, demonstrating an exceptional work ethic in his positions in the City. He truly belongs to the Borough of Tower Hamlets, his long-standing place of living, where he is also raising his family, but given his background he is also equally able to be a competitive and compatible counterpart to another well-known (former) journalist, Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London.
At the end of our conversation, I ask him what will happen to his community and political work if he does not get elected.
„I will just continue doing it all the same“, he said.
Outside the above mentioned runners, other candidates include, Elaine Bagshaw, Liberal Democrats, Andy Erlam, Red Flag – Anti Corruption, Peter Golds, Conservative Party, Vanessa Helen Hudson, Animal Welfare Party and Hafiz Abdul Kadir, Independent.
However, having known John Foster, I admit, he is the winning candidate, as the Mayoral position will enable him to do much more for the Borough he belongs to.
Copyright2015@Rumyana Vakarelska, Partner, Team New Europe, editorial consultancy, originating exclusive content for the emdia and organisations. Contact:rumy.vakarelska@gmail.com
