After their absolute car crash last time the Lib Dems adopted a former Lutfur Rahman-backed candidate, you would think they would be more careful not to select someone associated with the disgraced former Tower Hamlets Mayor in future. Apparently not, as they’ve now selected Rahman’s hand-picked successor in Tower Hamlets as an MEP candidate – Rabina Khan. She’s been on quite a journey:

• May 2010: Khan is elected as a Labour Councillor in Shadwell
• Oct 2010: Khan leaves Labour to join newly-elected mayor Lutfur Rahman’s Cabinet
• May 2014: Re-elected as Councillor for Rahman’s new Tower Hamlets First party
• April 2015: Lutfur Rahman and Tower Hamlets First found guilty of “corrupt and illegal practices”, THF is disbanded and Rahman’s election is voided although Khan and other THF Councillors keep their seats
• May 2015: Khan stands in the subsquent Mayoral by-election as Rahman’s chosen successor, losing to Labour
• Nov 2016: Khan splits from the Rahman-supporting independents to form her own party, the People’s Alliance of Tower Hamlets (PATH)
• May 2018: Khan places second in the Mayoral election again but all other PATH Councillors except her lose their seats
• Aug 2018: Khan dissolves PATH and joins the Lib Dems, along with the now disgraced former PATH councillor Abjol Miah
• April 2019: Khan selected by Lib Dems as an MEP candidate for London

Only time will tell where Khan’s long and winding political journey takes her next. However, she’ll fit right in in Brussels – an FoI request previously revealed Khan claimed a staggering £1,085 for taxi fares in just 8 months while serving in Rahman’s Cabinet, including £120 for a 1.5-mile trip. From one gravy train to another…