Cllr. Liaquat Ali MBE JP is the long-standing LBWF Cabinet portfolio lead for community safety and cohesion, a position which involves, amongst other things, responsibility for the local ‘crime and disorder’ and ‘anti-gangs’ strategies. In recognition of his Cabinet role, and in addition to his councillor’s allowance, Cllr. Ali receives the sum of no less than c. £21,000 p.a. Most peop... »
Following on from my recent knife crime post I e-mailed all the councillors on the Community Safety Scrutiny Committee as follows: ‘Dear Councillors, Please note the following: http://www.walthamforestmatters.org.uk/2017/05/05/knife-crime-in-waltham-forest-a-nasty-little-scandal/ The knife crime figures plus associated Sanction Detection Rates (SDRs) are a real scandal, blighting the lives o... »
Mark Baynes’ blog Love Wapping is fast becoming indispensable for those interested in how East London is developing. A couple of days ago, he published part one of his investigation into Islamists in Tower Hamlets: http://lovewapping.org/2016/07/tower-hamlets-london-borough-hijacked-by-fundamental-islamists/ It makes a very interesting read, and I’ll be posting the follow-ups here in ... »
In the last couple of days, both Private Eye (‘Haq Attack’, see below) and the Waltham Forest Guardian have published versions of the Ali-Haq story. It is notable that the latter does not mention Senator Haq’s rantings about ‘Jews and Christians’, spineless journalism at its worst. Meanwhile, a rumour going round the Town Hall is that Mayor Khan has declined to re-app... »
The Waltham Forest Guardian today quotes Cllr. Liaquat Ali pontificating about community safety: ‘“Our sense of community and of belonging, and the need to always treat others with respect, helps to make Waltham Forest such a great place to call home. We’ve been shocked and saddened to see the various news reports that have emerged in the aftermath of the EU Referendum result, indicating a r... »
The recent fuss about Cllr. Ahsan Khan has revealed that the 2015-16 Mayor, Cllr. Saima Mahmud, habitually hosted receptions in the Town Hall, at which supposedly distinguished visitors were honoured with ‘mementoes’. There are several questions that arise. One is about whether this practice accords with basic democratic principles. It would be nice to think that those enjoying Mayoral honour were... »
I reprint below some correspondence that I have had with Cllr. Chris Robins, Leader of LBWF, concerning allegations involving his close colleague Cllr. Liaquat Ali and the latter’s family. Most of Cllr. Robbins’ response to me, it hardly needs saying, is irrelevant, but I am struck by the line about ‘as a matter of routine’ not responding to ‘either publication’. The allegations made are serious o... »
The portly one gets the full GF treatment: http://order-order.com/2016/03/18/will-khan-name-and-shame-the-ali-family/ How long will ‘Strong Leader’ Robbins keep standing by this embarrasing liability? »
Mention of Clli. Liaquat Ali as always brings a weighty postbag, with those who have met the great man eager to share their memories. So by way of a thank you, I reprint some photos of when our local benefactor to the otherwise homeless met the Queen. It’s a slightly odd sequence, because the warm handshake that seems about to happen in fact never does. I’ve always wondered why. But no... »
Good to see Cllr. Liaquat Ali out supporting Andy Burnham on his recent visit to Waltham Forest (see http://kashmirlinklondon.co.uk/?p=6862) I hear from well placed sources that should our Andy win the Labour leadership, he will make Cllr. Ali one of his key advisers on solving London’s housing problems. PS Of course every picture tells a story, and here it is interesting to see the aged Lea... »