Shafi Choudhury selected as Conservative Mayoral Candidate for Newham

Conservatives in Newham have selected local campaigner Shafi Choudhury as their candidate for Mayor of Newham. Mr Choudhury, 34, was selected unopposed by all three constituency associations in Newham, and goes head to head with the Labour candidate on 4th May. Shafi has previously stood for election to Newham Council, and was more recently GLA candidate for City & East onstituency slashing the Labour majority and in coming second, pushed Respect into third place. Shafi said if he were to be elected as Mayor he would transform Newham into a cleaner, greener, safer borough where local people would enjoy first class public services, where hopes become reality, and his administration would be accountable and transparent.

Speaking at his selection Shafi poured scorn on the performance of the current Mayor:

"Labour have presided over decades of ruin, they have allowed Newham to become a borough that looks untidy and where the people live on false hopes. A Conservative Newham is cleaner, is greener, and is safer. A borough run by the Conservatives would mean better education results, better housing standards, and better employment prospects, a borough where peoples hopes can become a reality. A Conservative Mayor would stand for openness and accountability."

Shafi announced a raft of initiatives that will be announced in detail over the coming weeks designed to tackle head on the scourge of anti social behaviour saying ' We will have a zero tolerance on anti social behaviour." as well as policy initiatives on education, housing, social services, and environmental and recycling issues. He pledged his first act as Mayor of Newham would be to scrap all payments to Mayoral Advisors describing it as a 'Gravy Train" and to reduce the size of the cabinet from nine to just four, as well as saving Queens Market from property developers, match funding on the North Woolwich Station Museum and restoring Newham's Museum Service. 

"My administration will be leaner and more efficient, we will concentrate solely on delivering first class services to the people of Newham because that is no less than what we all deserve. I will pledge that Newham under the Conservatives will not only cost less, but also look, feel and sound better."

Shafi concluded:

"The Olympics and Paralympics in 2012 give us a great opportunity, and Newham under the Conservatives is the best way to make sure the borough as whole benefits, everyone from Stratford to Canning Town, from Manor Park to North Woolwich, no matter about your age, race, religion, gender or ability. As my colleague David Cameron MP, leader of the Conservatives said in Newham a few weeks ago, Newham has a bright future, and the Conservative Party under David Cameron is ready to take up the challenge and lead Newham into the future."

Watch out for a full length interview with Mr Choudhury in your authoritative paper the African Echo soon.

If you have a question or comment for him please email us with it at info@africanecho.co.uk