Israt Sawda: Why I’m standing to be a councillor for Mile End

Israt Sawda is the Conservative candidate for Mile End Ward in the Tower Hamlets Council elections in May

On 1st January 2010, I stepped off a plane at a British airport, alone, seventeen years old, and knowing nobody in this country. I had left Bangladesh against every expectation placed upon me. Where I grew up, a girl’s education had one stated purpose: to make her a more attractive prospect for marriage. I wanted more than that. I spent months working and persuading my parents — who loved me, but could not easily imagine sending their daughter alone to a country she had never visited — to let me go. When they finally said yes, it was one of the bravest things they ever did. The moment I landed, I breathed in the air and felt, for the first time, that I was somewhere I could become whoever I was capable of becoming.

In my first months in Britain, I studied an International Foundation programme. One subject was politics. It was there that I first encountered Conservatism — and first read seriously about Margaret Thatcher. Her journey spoke directly to me: a woman who refused to accept the limits others set for her, who believed in hard work and personal responsibility. Thatcher proved that where you start does not determine where you finish. She reminded me I was not alone. She reminded me that anything is possible.

I have built my life in Tower Hamlets since then, whilst working in the technology sector for over seven years: teaching coding to women; consulting on client projects and developing my skills. For example, I was nominated for the 2022 Tech Women 100 shortlist in recognition of my ability. Technology appeals to me as it innovates our lives – it is a key achievement of human ingenuity. Similarly, as a candidate I aspire to innovate so we can harness Tower Hamlets’ potential. I’m standing as a Conservative because I believe this community deserves the same thing Britain once gave me: the freedom to be more than others expect of you.

Mile End has enormous potential. It sits at the heart of a borough rich in ambition, cultural energy, and entrepreneurial spirit. But too many residents feel let down. Not by their community, but by a council that has consistently failed to turn that energy into practical results. Tower Hamlets has presided over waste, gross misconduct, and financial mismanagement for too long. Residents deserve a councillor who will scrutinise decisions properly and hold the council to account. My technology and finance background gives me exactly the tools to do that.

Housing pressure in Mile End is acute. Families are being priced out, properties are deteriorating, and the planning system has too often served developers over residents. I believe in housing policy that supports new homes without destroying neighbourhood character: that genuinely holds landlords and developers to account.

Crime and antisocial behaviour remain a persistent concern. Safe streets are not a luxury — they are the foundation on which everything else is built. I will advocate for proper resourcing of local police and a council that treats community safety as a real priority. My ambition does not end at tough talk; I want a safer borough.

Tower Hamlets should be one of London’s most attractive boroughs for business investment. Its location, talent pool, and diversity are genuine assets. Instead, local businesses tell me they feel ignored and unsupported. A thriving local economy creates jobs, sustains high streets, and funds the services residents depend on. I will champion it.

As a fiscal Conservative, I will also ensure every pound of public money is justified and honestly accounted for. That is not an ideological position. It is basic respect for hard-working taxpayers.

I have spent months on the doorsteps of Mile End, listening to residents. The concerns I hear most are consistent: councillors who disappear between elections, complaints that go unanswered, decisions made without consultation. Unfortunately, due to the other representatives in council, I cannot fix everything. However, I can promise to show up, to ask difficult questions, and to remain genuinely accountable to the people I represent.

I came to this country alone, with little, and built something here through hard work and the opportunities Britain provided me. I am a Conservative because I believe in the values that made that possible: personal responsibility, enterprise, strong communities, and the freedom to build a good life. Mile End deserves a councillor who holds those values — and who will fight to extend that same opportunity to every resident in this ward.

On 7th May, I am asking Mile End residents to vote for me not as a transaction, but as a partnership. Mile End deserves better. I intend to help deliver it.