John Biggs confirms intention to stand again in Tower Hamlets

John Biggs, the Labour candidate for Tower Hamlets mayor in the invalid election last May, has confirmed he would like to stand again when it is re-run.

Earlier today, a court found the victor Lutfur Rahman guilty of bribery, corruption, and of smearing Biggs. The election was declared void and Rahman banned from standing again.

A sub-committee of Labour’s NEC will now decide if Biggs should be reinstated as candidate without another selection. Speaking to the London Evening Standard outside of court after the judgement today, Biggs confirmed that he would like to be the candidate again:

“I would very much like to have the chance to stand again but that’s up to my party to decide.”

Biggs, who is a member of the London Assembly, also spoke of the difficulty he has faced since taking on Rahman last year:

“This is emotional. I do feel emotional. Being accused of being a racist and having to keep cool and not respond in kind to these people – although they deserve very primitive treatment in my view – has been an effort.”

“The past year has been very stressful personally because of the unfounded allegations made about me, and I’m delighted they have been rejected by the court. It’s scandalous that people behave in this fashion.”