Lutfur Rahman, the mayor of Tower Hamlets, has approved a 13% salary increase, raising his annual pay to £92,000. This decision is part of a broader plan by the Aspire party, which controls the council, to increase councillors' pay by £178,000. The council argues that these increases are necessary as salaries had not been adjusted in four years, and they remain lower than those in neighboring boroughs. However, this move has sparked outrage among residents, especially given that Tower Hamlets has the highest child poverty rate in the UK, affecting up to 43% of children. Rahman has a controversial history, having been banned from public office for five years due to corruption allegations, including bribery and intimidation. The Aspire party, which he leads, has also been criticized for its lack of diversity, with only five of its 33 councillors being women. Recent controversies include the suspension of a candidate for anti-Semitic posts, raising further questions about the party's values. The council's justification for the pay increases is based on recommendations from an independent remuneration panel, which noted that current allowances lag behind those in similar authorities.