2008–2014: Leadership, Challenges and Becoming Mayor

 

By  Shafiqul Haque:

 

As I mentioned in my previous article, Lutfur Rahman and I began our political journey together in May 2002, when we were both elected as Labour councillors in Tower Hamlets.

I have already written about those early days, so I do not want to repeat everything here. But there is one personal memory from that period that I feel is important to share because it says something about how our relationship developed.

A Personal Memory

In those early years, I had a restaurant on Brick Lane, and Lutfur would sometimes come there with other councillor colleagues.

We would sit together for long periods, talking about politics, the community, our families and everyday life.

Those were still early days for all of us. We were learning about local government and getting to know each other.

Lutfur was generally a quiet person. He listened carefully and did not always say a great deal.

At that stage, I certainly did not know where his political journey would eventually lead.

There is one particular occasion from those years that I remember very clearly.

Lutfur invited us to his home. His mother was unwell at the time.

When I met her, something about her face immediately reminded me of my own mother. I remember saying to her:

“You look like my mother.”

She took my hand and spoke to me warmly. She told me that I was like another son to her and asked me to stay close to Lutfur and support him.

I have never forgotten that moment.

My own mother had passed away years earlier, so there was something particularly touching about that simple gesture and those words.

It was a small personal moment, but it stayed with me.

Looking back, I feel that it brought another dimension to my relationship with Lutfur.

Until then, we had been colleagues who had been elected together and were gradually getting to know each other. After that, I felt a deeper personal connection.

These are the kinds of memories that often stay with you long after the political meetings and decisions have been forgotten.

2008 — A New Chapter

By 2008, we had known each other for several years and had both gained experience as councillors.

Lutfur decided to stand for Leader of Tower Hamlets Council.

I supported another candidate in the leadership contest because, at that time, I believed that person was the right choice to lead the council.

Lutfur won.

After the result, I thought carefully about what I should do.

The contest was over, and Lutfur had won. I believed he should be given the opportunity to lead the council.

For me, the work of the council and its responsibility to residents were important. I did not want political differences to prevent us from working for the borough.

So I decided to support him.

Two other colleagues also made the same decision.

That changed my relationship with Lutfur.

Until then, we had mainly known each other as fellow councillors and colleagues. From that point onwards, I became part of his administration and worked with him much more closely.

Looking back, I see that as an important moment in my own political journey.

Working Together

Working closely with someone gives you a different understanding of them.

You attend more meetings. You discuss issues in greater detail. You hear different views. You have to consider difficult questions and sometimes make decisions that are not straightforward.

Lutfur had many responsibilities as Leader, and I saw him dealing with the demands of the position.

There were many challenges along the way.

From my own experience, I found him determined. When he believed something was important, he was prepared to discuss it and stand by his position.

That did not mean that we agreed on everything.

There were occasions when I disagreed with him. When I had a concern about an issue, I would raise it with him directly.

He would sit with me and listen.

We would discuss the matter and try to understand each other’s position. Sometimes we were able to resolve the issue and move forward.

I remember those occasions because they were part of the ordinary reality of working closely with another person.

You do not have to agree on everything to work together.

For me, being able to speak openly and respectfully was important.

Working for Tower Hamlets

During those years, I became increasingly aware of the responsibility that comes with serving a borough like Tower Hamlets.

The council dealt with issues that touched people’s everyday lives — employment, housing, development, local services, culture and the future of our communities.

Tower Hamlets was changing and developing, bringing new opportunities as well as new questions about how those changes would affect local people.

For me, this was a constant reminder of why local government matters.

Behind every policy and every council decision are individuals, families and communities.

People want secure homes, opportunities for themselves and their children, thriving neighbourhoods and a sense of belonging.

That human side of local government was always important to me.

It was what made public service meaningful.

The Move Towards a Mayor

During these years, the political structure of Tower Hamlets was also changing.

The borough moved towards a directly elected mayoral system.

For Lutfur, this created a new opportunity and a new responsibility.

He had already served as a councillor and had then become Leader of the council. Now the leadership of the borough would be decided directly by residents.

The first directly elected mayoral election took place in October 2010.

Lutfur won.

I remember this as another important stage in the journey that had begun when we were first elected in 2002.

It was remarkable to look back at how much had changed in those eight years.

Becoming Mayor

Becoming Mayor brought a different kind of responsibility.

The Mayor had a direct mandate from the electorate and became closely associated with the administration of the borough.

There was greater public visibility and a much wider responsibility.

From my perspective, Lutfur approached the role with the same determination I had seen in him during his time as Leader.

He wanted to pursue the priorities he believed were important for Tower Hamlets.

As someone who had worked alongside him, I was able to see how seriously he took the responsibility.

The years that followed brought many demands.

There were difficult issues to consider, important decisions to make and many different views to listen to.

For me, these were also years in which I continued to learn about leadership, public service and the importance of communication.

Looking Back

When I look back at this period, I remember much more than political positions and council meetings.

I remember the people I worked with.

I remember the conversations.

I remember the disagreements that could be discussed and resolved.

And I remember personal moments, such as meeting Lutfur’s mother, that have stayed with me for many years.

I had known Lutfur since we were first elected in 2002.

Over the years, I saw him move from being a new councillor to becoming Leader and then Mayor.

I also experienced what it was like to work closely with him.

There were times when we agreed and times when we did not.

When I had a different view, I felt able to raise it with him. We could sit together, discuss matters and find a way forward.

Those personal experiences are an important part of what I remember.

This is simply my personal memoir of a period of my life in local government and of my working relationship with Lutfur.

I am sharing what I remember, what I personally experienced and what those years meant to me.

To be continued 

Advocate Shafiqul Haque

Former Mayor of Tower Hamlets | Retired Solicitor, Supreme Court of England | 

Political Analysts, Writer & Author