Cllr Shafi Ahmed

Just weeks after Tower Hamlets, Hackney and Lewisham councils launched legal proceedings to stop the Mayor of London cutting the affordable housing quota from 35% to 20%, City Hall has already announced this concession. This demonstrates the impact of our legal challenge but I spoke to BBC London about why it does not go far enough. At a time when 1 in every 21 children in London is homeless - at least one homeless child in every classroom - we cannot stand by while developers’ profits are prioritised over the genuinely affordable homes our communities so desperately need. I am proud to be taking this stand with @LiamShrivastava & @ZoeGarbett, formally supported by Lambeth, Southwark, Haringey and Waltham Forest councils.

🚨ANNOUNCEMENT: We're taking legal action to stop City Hall slashing affordable homes. We urge the Mayor of London and Andy Burnham to prioritise the homes people need over the profits of developers. Seven councils are backing this legal challenge, with Tower Hamlets, Hackney and Lewisham as joint claimants, formally supported by Lambeth, Haringey, Southwark and Waltham Forest councils. We won't stand by while London is turned into an investment asset for the super-rich rather than a place where ordinary Londoners can afford to live.

We are proud to have made history with these transformative socialist policies in local government. We ask the people of Tower Hamlets to re-elect us tomorrow so we can continue and build on our groundbreaking initiatives to support residents from cradle to old age.

If Wes Streeting actually paid attention to our borough he would see the only council in the country providing free school meals to every single school child, as well as the EMA and university bursaries, universal free homecare for elderly and disabled residents and much more. But it's no surprise that Mr Streeting is attacking us when Labour is facing historic defeat. Unlike the 9 Labour-led London councils currently being bailed out from bankruptcy by this government, Tower Hamlets is investing £250million in services and unprecedented cost of living support to residents, while increasing our financial reserves. Can Mr Streeting say the same of any Labour council?

Thank you @jeremycorbyn for championing our socialist policies in Tower Hamlets from universal free homecare for all elderly and disabled residents and universal free school meals, to restoring the EMA and Winter Fuel Allowance. We are proud to stand alongside you in this movement against Labour's austerity and its support for Israel's crimes and to strive together for a more just and equal world standard.co.uk/comment/jerem…

I am disappointed, although not surprised, by the recent leak of supposed government 'meeting notes' of allegations regarding the council that have never been put to us. I want to be clear that no complaint or evidence relating to any of these issues has ever been presented. It is no coincidence that these stories are beginning to emerge as we near the election, and it is sadly a reflection of our political class that they have to resort to these tactics that are in fact highly offensive to our borough, rather than engaging in a proper election campaign based on policy. We have seen these attacks before, and we have seen them off before. We will not be dragged into this dirty politics. My administration and I remain committed to doing what we were elected to do - serving the residents of Tower Hamlets and doing all we can to make their lives better. We have done this through the delivery of transformative services, from free school meals to all primary and secondary school children, tackling the housing crisis by building over 4,000 homes, to free homecare for all residents and free swimming sessions for all men aged 35+, all women aged 16+ and all parents and children. Ours is a politics of hope, opportunity and service to the residents of Tower Hamlets, and we remain confident this will be recognised come May 7th.

As we mark #InternationalWomensDay and Women's History Month with events across Tower Hamlets, we recommit ourselves to tackling the scourge of gender inequality and standing in solidarity with women facing oppression around the world. I am proud of the range of services we've opened in Tower Hamlets dedicated to supporting women and girls, developed in partnership with residents. This includes our recent opening of the Nari Centre, which brings services for women together under one roof, with classrooms, IT suite, creche facilities, a community kitchen and spaces for one-to-one support. This is a wonderful, welcoming space for accessing support and advice, as well as building skills, taking part in activities, and connecting with others.

🚨ANNOUNCEMENT: we've now opened 20 youth centres since my re-election in 2022. The latest is a dedicated youth centre for girls and young women on St Paul's Way, following feedback from our youngsters. I'm so proud that we've reached this milestone, particularly at a time when many youth centres have been closed across the country, to help all our young residents to thrive.

ITV News highlighting our #DisposeSafe campaign tackling lithium battery fires. This national problem requires national Government support, but in Tower Hamlets we’re taking action now. Don’t bin it - recycle phones, toys, vapes and any product with a lithium battery at council refuse centres and supermarkets. Together, we can #DisposeSafe and stop dangerous fires.

A lovely afternoon tea we hosted in the Town Hall with elders who have given so much to our community. As Carol from the East London Pensioners Group said, loneliness kills, and she described social events like this as essential for tackling the epidemic of isolation so many older people face.

My statement with the Chairs of the Tower Hamlets Inter Faith Forum about the appalling arson attack on the mosque in Peacehaven, East Sussex, which is being investigated as a hate crime.   We stand in solidarity with the local community and extend our support to everyone feeling the emotional impact of this attack and all recent violence affecting our communities.   Here in Tower Hamlets, we are proud to be one of the most diverse boroughs in the country. Our community cohesion is one of our greatest strengths.   We are working closely with our partners, including the borough’s Tension Monitoring Group, community faith leaders, and our No Place for Hate Forum, to ensure the Muslim community in East London feels supported during this time

The far right is spreading misinformation about asylum seekers at the Britannia Hotel in Canary Wharf. Let’s get the facts straight: • The Government made the decision to use this hotel -the Council had no say in this decision by central Government. • The Council is told this is not a transfer from Epping, as the far right is claiming. • Far right groups are trying to bring people into our borough to intimidate and spread hate and prejudice. We’re working with partners to ensure proper support and safeguarding measures in place for asylum seekers, hotel workers, and residents and we’re urging the Government to provide necessary support. The East End has a proud history of standing up to fascism. The far right has never succeeded in dividing our community, and they never will.

Welcoming Her Majesty the Queen to the Big Lunch at Eden Dock today - a wonderful celebration of many of the local groups who do vital work in our community. Thank you to @edencommunities and Canary Wharf Group for transforming Eden Dock into a vibrant, biodiverse public space, bringing nature and wildlife to the heart of the city for residents and workers to enjoy and for community groups to use for fantastic events like this