Another Tower Hamlets First councillor jailed for fraud

Another Tower Hamlets First councillor has been jailed for fraud although the corrupt former Mayor of Tower Hamlets still manages to escape justice.

Shahed Ali was convicted of housing fraud this week and sentenced to 5 months in prison. He has been immediately banned from office and an election will be held to replace him. He had fraudulently applied for a council house despite owning a number of properties. There are 20,000 people on the housing waiting list in Tower Hamlets.

Had Ali pleaded guilty to the fraud instead of going to trial the council's legal bill would have been just £4k but because he waited until the last minute to change his plea the legal bills have risen to £70k.

The Tower Hamlets First Party was struck off the register and their Mayor, Lutfur Rahman, banned from office after a special election court convicted him and his party of widespread electoral fraud, exerting undue spiritual influence over voters, voter intimidation and misconduct in office. He was banned from office despite Respect, Labour and the Trades Unions campaigning to save his skin but the Met Police refused to prosecute his for the offences.