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Published : 09 May 2026, 12:14 AM
Lutfur Rahman, the controversial local government leader who formed a new party called Aspire after leaving Labour, has been re-elected executive mayor of Tower Hamlets at the heart of East London for a fourth term.
He defeated Labour’s Sirajul Islam by more than 16,000 votes in the Bangladeshi-dominated borough.
Lutfur secured 35,679 votes against Sirajul’s 19,454, according to the official result published by Tower Hamlets Council. The turnout was 42.1 percent, with an electorate of 219,030.
Nine candidates contested the mayoral race, held alongside local council elections across London and other parts of England on Thursday.
Lutfur, Britain’s first Bangladeshi and Muslim executive mayor, first won the Tower Hamlets mayoralty as an independent in 2010 after being discarded by Labour. He was re-elected in 2014, returned to office in 2022, and has now secured another term.
The post of Tower Hamlets mayor became an executive role with political powers in 2010, replacing what had previously been a largely ceremonial position.
Lutfur's political career has remained controversial. He was removed from office in 2015 after a civil election court found him guilty of electoral wrongdoing. However, police and the Crown Prosecution Service later decided there was insufficient evidence to bring a criminal prosecution, according to The Guardian.
Thanking voters after his victory, Lutfur Rahman said: “Thank you to the people of Tower Hamlets for re-electing me.
“We will continue our groundbreaking support to tackle the cost of living and our transformative programme to build affordable and social housing.
“Thank you for choosing the politics of hope and unity over the politics of fear and division.”
He said Tower Hamlets was “one of the most diverse and, at the same time, one of the most united” areas in Britain.
Lutfur pointed to his administration’s universal free school meals programme, saying Tower Hamlets had become the first council in the country to provide free meals for all primary and secondary school pupils.
“I am extremely proud of what we have achieved together,” he said. “I hope the new progressive administrations elected today will follow our lead, adopt similar transformative policies and work together to deliver real change for our communities.”
During the campaign, Lutfur also promised a new travel pass scheme for students from low-income families. If implemented, Tower Hamlets would become the first council in the country to fund such a programme.
Under the proposal, the council would pay for travel passes usable across Transport for London’s network for students from households below a defined income threshold. At present, free bus travel in London is available only up to the age of 16.
The Tower Hamlets result came on a difficult election night for Labour and the Conservatives nationally, as Reform UK made sweeping gains in English local elections.
The Guardian reported heavy Labour losses and a major Reform surge, while The Times said Reform had passed 1,000 councillors nationwide.
Voters in Tower Hamlets also elected 45 councillors to the borough council.
