London council promotes ‘Islamophobia’ conference starting during Armistice Day silence then deletes post after GB News investigation

The council claimed the post was an innocent mistake, but a Conservative MP has told GB News the blunder was a result of the East London council being “captured by sectarian interests” and has submitted a freedom of information (FOI) request to find out if it was a “cock-up or conspiracy”.

Tower Hamlets Council first promoted the event, which has a theme of “Don’t Let it Slide”, on Friday evening, around 8.30pm in a post on social media.

It read: “November is Islamophobia Awareness Month. We are holding a conference to bring together the community and key partners to discuss Islamophobia.

“11am to 12.30pm on 11 November in the Grocer’s Wing in the Town Hall. A light lunch will be provided.”

November 11 at 11am marks the exact minute of Armistice Day’s two-minute silence, recognising the end of the First World War and to honour the millions of brave Britons who died for their country.

Soon after the scheduling conflict was noticed, GB News became aware that when the link to register for the event was clicked, the date and time were listed as November 10 at 10.30am.

GB News contacted Tower Hamlets Council for further clarification just before 11.30pm.

Around an hour after GB News contacted the council, it deleted the post.

On Monday, a spokeswoman for the council told GB News the event was always intended to be the 10th, insisting it was a “genuine mistake”.

But questions have now been raised over how the blunder happened.

Jack Rankin, the Conservative MP for Windsor, responded to the council’s clarification, saying: “We don’t believe you.”

He told GB News: “I’ve now submitted a Freedom of Information request to find out whether this was cock-up or conspiracy.

“Either way, councils in Britain should be putting their precious resources into Remembrance, not divisive campaigns like this.

“We shouldn’t be surprised. This is what happens when councils are captured by sectarian interests.

“They put minority interests ahead of the things that should bring this country together. A fact made all the more shameful given how many Muslim Britons gave their lives for this country in two world wars.

“I’ve also asked the council how much it is spending on this month compared with its Remembrance events.”

Rupert Lowe, leader of Restore Britain, said his party separately submitted a “lengthy FOI request demanding all internal and external communications specifically concerning the proposal, planning, approval, funding, organisation, content and promotion of the event”.

A Tower Hamlets Council spokeswoman told GB News Mr Lowe was “welcome” to submit an FOI.

And a spokesman for Tower Hamlets Council added: “Due to human error, a post on X about the Islamophobia Awareness Month event included the wrong date.

“The event has always been taking place on 10 November.

“We apologise for any confusion this caused.

“We are holding a number of events for Remembrance Sunday, as we are proud to do every year.”

The council has since confirmed that a two-minute silence will be held at the Town Hall on November 11.

Last year, Mr Rahman’s Aspire Party became embroiled in controversy after it was revealed two councillors were standing for election as candidates for the Bangladesh Nationalist Party.

Mr Rahman was initially chosen as a Labour candidate at the 2010 Mayoral election, but was removed after allegations that he was closely linked to an alleged Islamic fundamentalist group – the Islamic Forum of Europe – and fraudulently signed up members to win the party’s selection.

Despite the allegations and removal from Labour, he prevailed in the election as an independent candidate.

He has denied ever being a member of the Islamic Forum of Europe or any Islamic organisation.

Leading under the banner of Tower Hamlets First, he was re-elected as Mayor in 2014, but residents of the London borough challenged the results, alleging intimidation and the guarantee of free housing in exchange for votes.

The election was then declared void, and Mr Rahman was found guilty of illegal election practices and banned from holding office for five years – but he returned to office in November 2022 under the banner of Aspire.