1000 tons of sand to be dumped in Shoreditch

This, according to Events Magazine and the Hackney Gazette, is for beach soccer to coincide with the world cup.

Cllr Nargis Khan said: ""We are delighted to be working with England Beach Soccer to bring this exciting sport to the heart of our Borough."

Nargis and Diane snub squatters

London Coalition against poverty reported on Jan 28: "Yesterday the Hackney Housing Group, a group of people who are homeless, temporarily housed, overcrowded or experiencing bad or unsuitable housing were left waiting when Nargis Khan, Council Cabinet member for Community services failed to show up to a meeting she had arranged nearly two months before. The group was told at the last minute that she was away “on business” and that Diane Abott MP would be cancelling the meeting and so chose not to meet with the Housing Group and Diane Abbott MP."

Hackney's political ambassadors?

Yesterday another blogger (Stephen Glenn) noted the busy schedule of Meg Hillier's surgery organiser. In a story titled "Serial applicant heading (or not) for Livingston" he said: "As even my brief research showed this is the fifth seat in recent months she (Adenike Rachel Abimbola-Akindele) has been mentioned as being on the shortlist for."

Back in December she turned up in Thurrock hoping to replace Andrew Mackinlay - from the Thurrock Gazette

In October Blood and Property mentioned Abimbola-Akindele after the North West Evening Mail mentioned her fight for a Labour candidacy in the North West (Barrow):

She told the paper: “I have recruited many members since I became the chairperson of Queensbridge ward in Hackney.

“I also hold the post of the surgeries manager at Meg Hilliers’ (MP for Hackney South and Shoreditch) surgeries assisting the senior caseworker.”

A commentator on Labourhome was not a fan (comments section) and seemed to have done some similar research: "Adenike Rachel Abimbola-Akindele is a serial applicant who is putting her cv for most seats, she does not turn up at selections or go to the area but because she is a woman and BAME is always shortlisted. It’s a shame as it is blocking places for more worthwhile applicants who have worked the area for many weeks before nominations. Also, as can be seen in Barrow, she is being tactically nominated by some branches to ensure that their man (John Woodcock – Gordan’s Spad) faces less competition."

I don't know if these criticisms are fair but similar complaints have been levelled at Nargis Khan, another ambassador for Hackney politics, who is up north somewhere (Wigan) after leaving confusion in Haggerston and being de-selected from Dalston.

Nargis Khan - Wigan a la Haggerston?

She was de-selected from Dalston and then controversially re-selected in Haggerston only to stand down - apparently from politics all together.

But now Hackney Councillor Nargis Khan - Cabinet Member for Community Services - has resurfaced in Wigan amidst 'angry scenes' at a Labour Party selection battle.

Six prospective Labour candidates were selected to take part in the contest to replace MP Neil Turner but a popular local candidate was squeezed out. The defeated candidate's supporters blamed a last minute venue change and selective crowd control.

So conspiracy theories abound - as they did in Haggerston. That was where hard left Cllr Barry Buitekant was beaten by New Labour Cllr Khan in what the Conservatives claimed was a New Labour effort to save one of its own. Cllr Khan - who had been de-selected by the Dalston ward she will represent until the election - moved on Haggerston and allegedly benefited from a poor turnout of unsuspecting Buitekant supporters at the selection meeting.

In Wigan six people were selected to take part in the contest including Cllr Nargis Khan.

Wigan Today quoted one Labour Party member: "The meeting was moved from The Deanery High – which obviously has loads of room – to the Unite office, which doesn't.

"Officials decided there was no more room and locked the doors before we were due to start, leaving supporters out in the cold.

"When the result was announced people couldn't believe it. There was booing and people broke into a round of chants for 'McGurrin, McGurrin' before there was a mass walkout. It just wasn't right."

Cabinet member steps aside after unpopular victory

Labour councillor Nargis Khan, cabinet member for community services, will not be standing in next year's local elections despite successfully recovering her political career earlier in the year.

Khan was deselected as a Labour representative for Dalston but then managed to get reselected as a candidate for Haggerston.

The casualty of Khan's move to Haggerston was Cllr Barry Buitekant who is more left leaning than many of his Labour party colleagues (http://www.revolutionaryhistory.co.uk/). His profile on Labour's website reads: "Barry Buitekant has lived in Hackney for most of his life and went to school locally. He has been a lifelong active trade unionist in the Post Office and BT unions serving as an official locally and nationally."

During the summer Buitekant wasn't keen to answer any questions on the situation.

The story is that the original Haggerston selection meeting was poorly attended and that Kahn's win would not have happened if Haggerston's Labour party members had thought there was a threat to Buitekant.

Now Khan has decided to take time out from politics all together.

News of these goings on originally came from a Conservative who speculated that Hackney's New Labour establishment had conspired to save one of their own at the expense of an old-school socialist.