Bricking it! The elections are open
Pic: Rory Bowens

COUNTING SUSPENDED:

The elections have seen a victory for Luftur Rahman as Mayor.

Tower Hamlets First have taken 12 seats, mainly from  Labour  who  so far have six seats.  The Conservatives have two.

Counting for Bow End, St. Peters and Bethnal Green wards  is to be postponed until tomorrow.

After a long day and night of reporting the East London Lines team, Andy Goddard and John Wakefield, are signing off for now.

We may hear a decision later on today for the three remaining wards but we are awaiting confirmation on this.

10:34 There is talk of delaying many of the remaining ward counts until the European Election counts tomorrow. These so far include, Bow East, Bethnal Green and St Peters wards.

09:45

Mile End – Turnout: 49.58%

Mile End – results

Election Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Shah Alam	Tower Hamlets First	2315	15.40%	Elected
David Edgar	Labour	2268	15.09%	Elected
Rachael Saunders	Labour	2139	14.23%	Elected
Mohammed Shahid Ali	Tower Hamlets First	2052	13.65%	Not elected
Motin Uz-Zaman	Labour	1801	11.98%	Not elected
Mustak Syed	Tower Hamlets First	1796	11.95%	Not elected
Naomi Snowdon	Conservative	597	3.97%	Not elected
Mushtak Abdullah	Conservative	571	3.80%	Not elected
Andy Hallett	Liberal Democrat	500	3.33%	Not elected
Jewel Islam	Conservative	446	2.97%	Not elected
Hafiz Choudhury	Independent	383	2.55%	Not elected
Arzoo Miah	Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition	165	1.10%	Not elected

09:26

Spitalfields & Banglatown Ward 

Turnout: 43.69%

Spitalfields & Banglatown – results

Election Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Gulam Robbani	Tower Hamlets First	1955	26.64%	Elected
Suluk Ahmed	Tower Hamlets First	1743	23.75%	Elected
Helal Uddin Abbas	Labour	1215	16.56%	Not elected
Tarik Khan	Labour	1015	13.83%	Not elected
Zachary Thornton	Green	485	6.61%	Not elected
Jane Elizabeth Emmerson	Conservative	349	4.76%	Not elected
David Nolan Fell	Conservative	259	3.53%	Not elected
Ferdy North	Liberal Democrat	219	2.98%	Not elected
Jason Edward Turvey	Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition	98	1.34%	Not elected

09:20

St. Kathrines and Wapping

Turnout 46.28%

St Katharine’s & Wapping – results

Election Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Julia Louise Dockerill	Conservative	1278	19.18%	Elected
Denise Jones	Labour	1208	18.13%	Elected
Neil Anthony King	Conservative	1156	17.35%	Not elected
Robert Scott	Labour	956	14.35%	Not elected
Ahad Miah	Tower Hamlets First	547	8.21%	Not elected
John Raphael Venpin	Green	440	6.60%	Not elected
Stuart Madewell	Tower Hamlets First	407	6.11%	Not elected
Grenville Mills	United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP)	353	5.30%	Not elected
John Denniston	Liberal Democrat	319	4.79%	Not elected

℅ council

Bromley North Ward

turnout 51.93%

Bromley North – results

Election Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Khales Uddin Ahmed	Labour	1534	25.18%	Elected
Mohammed Mufti Miah	Tower Hamlets First	1247	20.47%	Elected
Zenith Rahman	Labour	1153	18.93%	Not elected
Moniruzzaman Syed	Tower Hamlets First	1046	17.17%	Not elected
Christopher Devlin	Green	281	4.61%	Not elected
Aaron Willson	Green	221	3.63%	Not elected
Angela Carlton	Conservative	219	3.60%	Not elected
Mark Peter Fletcher	Conservative	178	2.92%	Not elected
Victoria Flynn	Liberal Democrat	136	2.23%	Not elected
Daniel McGowan	Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition	76	1.25%	Not elected

℅ council
09:07

Turnout 54.9%

Stepney Green – results

Election Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Alibor Choudhury	Tower Hamlets First	2023	25.82%	Elected
Oliur Rahman	Tower Hamlets First	1965	25.08%	Elected
Sabina Akhtar	Labour	1568	20.02%	Not elected
Victoria Obaze	Labour	954	12.18%	Not elected
Hilary Clarke	Green	411	5.25%	Not elected
Nicholas McQueen	United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP)	387	4.94%	Not elected
Chris Wilford	Conservative	209	2.67%	Not elected
Hugo Ciaran Mann	Conservative	166	2.12%	Not elected
Martin Peter Donkin	Liberal Democrat	151	1.93%	Not elected

℅ council

Lansbury

Turnout 51.29%

Lansbury – results

Election Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Rajib Ahmed	Labour	2184	16.44%	Elected
Shiria Khatun	Labour	1952	14.69%	Elected
Ohid Ahmed	Tower Hamlets First	1936	14.57%	Elected
Dave Smith	Labour	1850	13.93%	Not elected
Shuily Akthar	Tower Hamlets First	1727	13.00%	Not elected
Stephen John Beckett	Tower Hamlets First	1535	11.55%	Not elected
Paul Shea	United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP)	732	5.51%	Not elected
Graham Collins	Conservative	387	2.91%	Not elected
Paul William Eric Ingham	Conservative	332	2.50%	Not elected
Simon McGrath	Liberal Democrat	232	1.75%	Not elected
Mohammed Riaz	Conservative	228	1.72%	Not elected
Pete Dickenson	Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition	190	1.43%	Not elected

℅ The council

08:00

Turnout 55.78%

St Dunstan’s – results

Election Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Ayas Miah	Labour	1967	23.12%	Elected
Mahbub (Mamun) Alam	Tower Hamlets First	1805	21.22%	Elected
Abdal Ullah	Labour	1386	16.29%	Not elected
Rofique U Ahmed	Tower Hamlets First	1369	16.09%	Not elected
Chris Kilby	Green	484	5.69%	Not elected
Charles William Moncrieff Clarke	Conservative	426	5.01%	Not elected
Martin Bryan	United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP)	369	4.34%	Not elected
Abdul Munim Choudhury	The Peace Party – Non-Violence, Justice, Environment	254	2.99%	Not elected
Ben Mascall	Conservative	254	2.99%	Not elected
Koyes Uzzaman Choudhury	Liberal Democrat	193	2.27%	Not elected

07:59

Turnout is 52.33%

Bow West – results

Election Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Joshua Peck	Labour	2439	29.52%	Elected
Asma Begum	Labour	1996	24.16%	Elected
Jainal Chowdhury	Tower Hamlets First	702	8.50%	Not elected
Matt Smith	Conservative	627	7.59%	Not elected
Anwar Ahmed Khan	Independent	619	7.49%	Not elected
Louise Whitmore	Green	559	6.77%	Not elected
Alistair Polson	Green	552	6.68%	Not elected
S M Safiul Azam	Conservative	441	5.34%	Not elected
Altaf Hussain	Liberal Democrat	328	3.97%	Not elected

℅ council

07:24

Whitechapel

Turnout: 42.37%

Whitechapel – results

Election Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Shahed Ali	Tower Hamlets First	2139	16.92%	Elected
Abdul Asad	Tower Hamlets First	2117	16.75%	Elected
Aminur Khan	Tower Hamlets First	2088	16.52%	Elected
Faruque Mahfuz Ahmed	Labour	1359	10.75%	Not elected
Robert Robinson	Labour	1190	9.42%	Not elected
Jamalur Rahman	Labour	1188	9.40%	Not elected
Maggie Crosbie	Green	703	5.56%	Not elected
Richard John Holden	Conservative	409	3.24%	Not elected
Dinah Glover	Conservative	405	3.20%	Not elected
John David Macleod Griffiths	Liberal Democrat	358	2.83%	Not elected
Nicholas Donald Anthony Vandyce	Conservative	345	2.73%	Not elected
Andrew John McNeilis	United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP)	199	1.57%	Not elected
Michael Wrack	Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition	139	1.10%	Not elected

℅ Council

7:10

Tower Hamlets and Conservative win.

Canary Wharf – results

Election Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Andrew George Wood	Conservative	869	16.63%	Elected
Md. Maium Miah	Tower Hamlets First	829	15.87%	Elected
Debbie Simone	Labour	801	15.33%	Not elected
Shubo Hussain	Labour	786	15.04%	Not elected
Ahmed Hussain	Conservative	782	14.97%	Not elected
John Cray	Tower Hamlets First	592	11.33%	Not elected
Mark Adrian Webber	United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP)	327	6.26%	Not elected
Stephen Toal	Liberal Democrat	181	3.46%	Not elected
Neil Cafferky	Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition	58	1.11%	Not elected

Table ℅ council

6:20 Join John for our mayoral election roundup recorded here in the Troxy featuring some of the most important moments of the night so far in sound, video and photographs from our 2 reporters on the ground.

5:30 Poplar – results

49.64% Turnout Tower Hamlets First – Gulam Kibria Choudhury

Poplar – results

Election Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Gulam Kibria Choudhury	Tower Hamlets First	910	44.24%	Elected
Abdul Kahar Chowdhury	Labour	761	37.00%	Not elected
Anna Maria Mignano	United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP)	159	7.73%	Not elected
James Philip Robinson	Conservative	146	7.10%	Not elected
Richard Macmillan	Liberal Democrat	41	1.99%	Not elected
Naomi Ruth Byron	Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition	40	1.94%	Not elected

Table ℅ council
4:59: Onto the Council seats now:

48.26% turnout – Craig Aston Wins council seat for the  Conservative Party

Limehouse – results

Election Candidate	Party	Votes	%
Craig Aston	Conservative	786	38.04%	Elected
Catherine Overton	Labour	730	35.33%	Not elected
Mashuk Ahmed	Tower Hamlets First	341	16.51%	Not elected
Matt Lomas	Liberal Democrat	105	5.08%	Not elected
David Hyland	United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP)	104	5.03%	Not elected

Table ℅ council

4:51 Sorry for the slight delay. It’s quietened down a touch here at the Troxy but we are hard at work uploading all our footage and audio from the mayoral election!

Lutfur Rahman’s Press Conference Speech and Questions:

And the reaction from supporters as he left the Troxy:

2:30 While you’re waiting for John to come out here are two more graphs. First is the votes breakdown for the candidates the second shows the 1st and 2nd preference votes of the final competition.

Breakdown of votes cast in the Mayoral elections. Graph: Andy Goddard

Graph showing the 1st and 2nd preference vote breakdown of the top two candidates. Graph: Andy Goddard

02:08 John is in the press conference recording audio for the candidate reactions to the result. Count for council seats will begin in the near future.

Lutfur Rahman answering questions after winning the Mayoral vote. Photo Andy Goddard

01:40 Lutfur Rahman wins re-election.

1:17: No official announcement yet but Rahman’s supporters and Rahman himself have congregated on the count floor and appear to be celebrating. Labour supporters gathered with Biggs who is look dejected.

Lufturs supporters celebrating, before the count announcement

00:19 Returning officer announces that council count will go ahead.

23:56 Second Preference Count Starts. The candidates still in the running are incumbent Lutfur Rahman and Labour’s John Biggs.

The Returning Officer explains the process:

23:42 The crowds outside the Troxy still haven’t abated. Police still denying anyone entry to the count.

Crowd continue to wait in large numbers outside the Troxy. Photo: Andy Goddard.

23:28 The BBC has given us pizza. That’s why I pay my license fee.

23:19 As expected, no party achieved 50% of the vote. Now the second preference count commences.

Audio of the announcement in the Troxy:

23:14 Mayoral candidates called to confer with returning officer. First announcements expected very soon.

Candidates huddle around the returning officer.

22:57 It’s officially a siege now. Pizza has arrived for the staff. Not for us journalists. Sources close to the count floor say that one of the candidates is experimenting with ordering a Papa John’s. Updates on count expected in twenty minutes.

22:49 Nobody allowed in or out of the building. Security told us to back away when we tried to get photos. We can hear chanting from outside and the police are up close and personal with the crowd. Barriers have been erected to keep them from the door. Still nothing going on inside.

22:33 Our package from before the chaos of the celebrations outside.

21:42 Further details, crowd outside are celebrating Rahman’s victory. Despite the fact that the count is still ongoing. The press have been reminded of the laws in play here. We don’t know who’s won, the count is not finished.

21:30 Press warned not to release information that could cause disturbance outside. We are allowed out but nobody is allowed in for one hour.

Police control crowds outside the Troxy Photo: Andy Goddard

20:59 Representatives called to check counts.

Candidates gather around to make sure that the count is right.
Photo: Andy Goddard

20:55 Rumors from the press balcony: There is a feeling on the count floor that the mayor vote is going to second preference. Therefore advantage Biggs. Crowd outside is very strongly in support of Luftur Rahman. We are still on the scene.

1936: Just to keep you entertained here’s a run down of the stunning building the election count is taking place in.

1933: The Troxy was opened to the public. A stunning art deco cinema which featured a revolving stage, a Wurlitzer Cinema Organ and seated 3,520 people! (many of those seats occupied today by journalists, candidates and well-wishers eagerly awaiting the results)

1960: Due to wartime damage the cinema was closed.

1990: The building was used as a bingo hall! (Your dedicated reporters are entertaining themselves with this tremendous past time today!)

2006: From 2006 on the building has been used to host many events including todays count!

Here are some photos of the stunning art deco architecture!

Lamps of democracy! The Troxy count goes on! Photo: John Wakefield

Futuristic flight… of democracy! Art deco ceiling design in the Troxy. Photo: John Wakefield

Stained Glass depiction … of Democracy?
Photo: John Wakefield

M… for Democracy! The Troxy, Tower Hamlets Vote. Pic: John Wakefield

Results as soon as we hear them!

19:16 Andy’s at his graphs again. This time it’s a comparative turnout graph.

EU has generally a higher turnout. Both have nearly double last years effort. Good work on that voting Tower Hamlets.                                                                                                                 Graph: Andy Goddard

18:43 Press gallery rumours: High turn out may mean a win for John Biggs as second preference is more likely.

18:29 Press gallery rumours: Two horse race between Luftur Rahman and John Biggs. It will go down to whether or not second preference is instated. If Luftur gets a clean majority on the first round he’ll take it but if it gets to the second round John Biggs will win. Tense times in Tower Hamlets.

18:23 Voter turnout for Mayoral elections 86,542/181,871 making a percentage of 47.58% almost double last years vote. Very excited press gallery here. For the EU vote 164,242/82,403 50.78%.

Candidate officials approving the validation of the count.

18:18 Turnout announcement actually about to happen now. The returning officer is telling the web people some stats.

17:49 Interview with John Biggs ahead of the count.

17:42 Still waiting on the count to begin. Restless scenes outside.

Restless scenes outside of people expected the count to begin an hour ago at the latest.

16:49 Still awaiting voter turnout.

Former Adviser to Lutfur Rahman, Kazin Zaidi, tells ELL his election predictions as we await to outcome of the voting count underway at the Troxy.

16:27 Last box is being verified for mayoral ballots.

16:14 Latest update:

15:11 Labour supporters gathered around the count staff in anticipation of the turnout announcement.

Labour supporters gathered around the count. Photo: Andy Goddard

15:00 An exterior shot of the building to keep you going while we wait for that turnout.

Just to keep you going. Photo Andy Goddard

14:46 Turnout imminent, counters are counting furiously.

14:30 Verification of ballots is complete. The counters are having their refreshments. Turnout announced soon.

14:20 Graph of mayoral votes in 2010, turnout of 25.6%

Votes for mayoral candidates in 2013. Graph: Andy Goddard

13:21 Word on the press balcony is that the result will come down to turnout. If the turnout is high, we’ll see change, if it’s dropped then its more of the same.

13:07 A quick reminder of the council seat layout in the borough:

The current spread of seats for the local council in Tower Hamlets. Graph: Andy Goddard

12:46 Verification is underway. There is a buzz in the room and the sound of paper being rifled through. No results for a while yet. ELL is strapped in and ready to report. Vote count starts in a around an hour. Results expected to come in around five.

The count is underway here at the Troxi cinema in Tower Hamlets. Photo: Andy Goddard

The polls are now closed and no more votes may be cast in the borough of Tower Hamlets. 

The electoral count is now underway with results expected to be announced later this afternoon.

We are running a live blog covering the electoral count in Tower Hamlets so stay with East London Lines for the most up-to-date coverage of the event.

Live blog by Andy Goddard and John Wakefield for Eastlondonlines