My week will be dominated by Thursday's mayoral election in Tower Hamlets. This contest is a big deal. Winning control of the "Olympic borough" and its billion pound-plus budget is far more important than prevailing in most parliamentary by-elections and hugely important for Labour. It is the party's first major electoral test since Ed Miliband became its leader.
Labour reasserted its dominance in this part of the East End in May, all but obliterating Respect which had so effectively tuned in to discontent and division over Iraq. Yet a combination of a farcical candidate selection process and reaction against belligerent media attacks have revived anti-Labour resentments among the highly-politicised Bangladeshi community that makes up about a third of the borough's population.
There now seems a serious chance that Lutfur Rahman, who was dumped as Labour's candidate and is now running as in independent, will win. If he does it will be a catastrophe for his rival and former friend Labour's Helal Abbas, who I will soon be talking to about his policies and prospects. I hope to publish the interview tomorrow.
Meanwhile, there will be plenty going on at City Hall. On Tuesday the economic development committee will explore plans to devolve further powers to the Mayor. That afternoon the planning and housing committee will look into the post-Games development of the Olympic Park. On Wednesday, Boris's housing adviser Richard Blakeway and the Homes and Communities Agency's David Lunt will be quizzed by the whole assembly on housing issues, which remain a matter of keen interest to this blog. The action in Tower Hamlets means I'm unlikely to attend these meetings, but you can watch them for yourselves either in person or on the webcasts. I'll probably play catch up next week. Sigh.
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