Bethnal Green and Bow: The Emperor and the Tiger and Other Tales

Rupa Huq blogs a story of a possible political rivalry on her corridor at work as she and a colleague strive for Labour and Lib Dem nominations respectively. There are far less hats in the Labour ring than some locals expected. LoL were told 200-300 at one point. There are in fact 65 contenders.

Still, it is sure to be interesting. Whoever wins will get to NOT FACE the bullocking self publicist George Galloway who has promised not to compete. Will he keep his promise? We are certain he will. And we have to say that anyway as Mr Galloway is even more litigious than LoL. But even without him Bethnal Green and Bow will be interesting.

Walk the Plank have been doing the Tower Hamlets fireworks for a while now. Galloway and others, including I imagine the BNP and the leader writers of The Daily Telegraph, got all uppity about the lack of a Guy Fawkes immolation at last years bash. BBC scene setting. Instead there was a vastly entertaining extravaganza themed on a Bengali tale of The Emperor and the Tiger.

Of course George and his Respect cohorts, who called this sensible multicultural bonnie night decision UPSURD have also been out confusing their own wonderful morality with ridiculous moralising. Staking out strip and pole dancing clubs and terrorising workers who enjoy these bizarre but legal haunts is a strange way for revolutionaries to behave as Dave Osler reckons when there are things like Trident on the horizon.

Respect in Tower Hamlets also need to realise that grown up electoral politics is not quite like a Students Union. When you roll up with a minority motion the main party will generally speaking spike it and deal with their own business. Which may not mean they disagree with that motion. In a year or two Respect could perhaps form a Coalition with the Tories and be in the box seat themselves. I look forward to the revolutionary explanation for that if it happens.

The Mail and The Sun were as distressed as George but we Trustees were proud of WTP Producer Liz Pugh as she analysed the burning of a Catholic dissident as being not something we like to be associated with, any more than men in long macs visiting tawdry clubs near George's office.
Walk the Plank were very happy to simulate the fruition of Guido Fawke's dream of burning the HoP down for his 400th Anniversary in 2005. Some revolutionaries are never satisfied. The series of themed extravaganzas has built the number enjoying the Tower Hamlets celebrations from 3,000 to 23,000 and long may that sort of voting with feet continue.