27.5.14

Wind-Cowie and Jeory's Final Solution to Bangladeshis holding Power: The Abolition of Tower Hamlets

In a recent publication from the think tank Demos on 'Mapping Integration', Max Wind-Cowie, Demos Associate and former head of their integration programme, argues
And what about Tower Hamlets? Frankly, I think we should abolish it. It is a borough that has, in part because of demographics, descended into a poisonous and unhealthy politics of ethnic division. It doesn’t need to be that way. We should break up the borough and incorporate elements of it into the surrounding boroughs so that the particular demographics of Tower Hamlets are watered down and so that real democratic participation and integration are possible. This would be a radical step. But it is better than simply hoping to play Rahman at his own game and win back power for mainstream politics. The divide is real and it is intractable. The answer is to start afresh. (p103)
This was written before last weekend's reelection of Lutfur Rahman as the Mayor of Tower Hamlets, and highlighted, recommended, yesterday by the blogger Ted Jeory.


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