John Pierce beats Abjol Miah by 280 votes
By Peter Apps, Nate Saunders and Robin Jellis, at ExCel
LABOUR candidate John Pierce held off a determined challenge from the Respect Party to win the Weavers ward in a Tower Hamlets Council by-election.
Pierce, pictured right, retains the seat that was held by Labour’s Anna Lynch, a nurse who resigned because work commitments are taking her to Somerset.
The news is a boost for Labour, who lost the recent Bradford West by-election to George Galloway’s party, who also won five Bradford City Council seats in last night’s local election.
He beat the Respect candidate Abjol Miah by 280 votes.
Turnout was just over 44 percent, with Pierce securing 1544 votes to Miah’s 1260.
It was a particularly bad day for Liberal Democrat candidate Azizur Rahman who gained just 208 votes, less than Conservative Carolione Kerswell and Green Party candidate Alan Duffell.
“People are beginning to see what Respect are like,” said Pierce.
“They do not deliver when they are elected and the sooner people realise this, the better for everyone.”
