Labour councillors give themselves a ‘gravy train’ pay rise in Tower Hamlets Council’s first vote after landslide election

Labour's front benches at Tower Hamlets Council who voted for the pay rise. Picture: Mike Brooke Mike Brooke

Labour councillors voted themselves a 70 per cent “big fat pay rise” for cabinet posts as their first act in power at last night’s Tower Hamlets Council meeting after their landslide victory at the May 3 polls.

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Caz Harrison and her two-year-old daughter at Town Hall protest by 'Save Our Nurseries' campaigners while councillors vote themselves a pay rise. Picture: Mike Brooke Caz Harrison and her two-year-old daughter at Town Hall protest by 'Save Our Nurseries' campaigners while councillors vote themselves a pay rise. Picture: Mike Brooke

Small demos outside the town hall by mums campaigning to stop nurseries being privatised and by trade unions condemning the “gravy train” increase while workers under 21 were not getting a living wage failed to persuade them to vote against.

The ‘special responsibility’ allowances would now take £375,000 a year out of the public purse—a third more than before the elections.

The deputy mayors’ £16,000 allowance shoots up to £30,000 a year while eight cabinet members’ pay goes from £14,000 to £20,000.

A new payment of £11,000 for Labour’s chief whip had brought condemnation from People’s Alliance opposition Cllr Rabina Khan as it was “not a public function” which would add to the £1m bill for councillors taxpayers over the coming four years.

Cllr Rabina Khan, one of three opposition voices, telling Labour... You pay yourself this nice big fat rise when young people are paid below minimum. Picture: Mike Brooke Cllr Rabina Khan, one of three opposition voices, telling Labour... You pay yourself this nice big fat rise when young people are paid below minimum. Picture: Mike Brooke

“What about a pay increase for social workers who deliver our public services in the community?” she demanded.

“You can decide to pay yourself this nice big fat pay rise or to work with the unions so that it reflects the people who voted for you.”

It was “discourteous”, she felt, for Labour to vote themselves bigger allowances when young people were paid below minimum wage, when the elderly were denied adult social care and when the vulnerable were being sent to foodbanks.

But she was rounded on by Labour’s angry John Peace slamming her for double standards over payments to dodgy organisations from public coffers when she was part of Lutfur Rahman’s now-banned administration ousted in 2015.