Disgraced former mayor Lutfur Rahman ( pictured ) is said to have played the race card to silence opponents - and his deputy today reiterated claims there is deep seated racism in the borough of Tower Hamlets , in east London . A deputy of disgraced former mayor Lutfur Rahman yesterday appeared to blame the vote-rigging scandal on ‘ institutional racism ’ . Oliur Rahman , who took over from the deposed leader yesterday , insisted there was deep-rooted racism within the East London borough of Tower Hamlets . His comment was at odds with a devastating legal ruling that condemned his predecessor for bribery and ballot fraud and found he had repeatedly ‘ played the race card ’ to silence critics . The two men – who are not related – are both members of the Tower Hamlets First party . Political opponents said they were playing the same ‘ cracked record ’ by seeking to blame racism and Islamophobia for their problems . Oliur Rahman told the BBC : ‘ If people say there is no racism in Tower Hamlets , then they are very much mistaken because there is institutional racism . ‘ If people want to turn a blind eye to the racism then that ’ s their decision but they are very much mistaken if they turn round and say there is no racism in Tower Hamlets , and that people are not judged because of their skin colour and their religion. ’ On Thursday , electoral judge Richard Mawrey QC found that Lutfur Rahman , 49 , and his cronies had rigged the 2014 mayoral ballot by creating an army of ‘ ghost voters ’ , forging postal votes , bribing Muslim voters and using religious intimidation against them and branding opponents as racists . He found that all the councillors from the Tower Hamlets First party were elected corruptly . Oliur Rahman , 34 , a former councillor for George Galloway ’ s Respect party but now a Tower Hamlets First councillor , emailed his fellow members yesterday to declare himself acting mayor until new elections . He said : ‘ Following the verdict , I have assumed the executive role within the council , until a mayoral election is held. ’ Peter Golds , the leader of the Tory group in Tower Hamlets , said : ‘ Oliur Rahman ought to be hanging his head in shame and apologising to the borough , but I don ’ t think he gets it . ‘ It ’ s ludicrous to play the race card again . They roll out this hoary old chestnut every time anything happens . The real unpleasant racism has come from the ranks of Tower Hamlets First . ‘ They ’ ve got one cracked record , that any criticism of them is Islamophobic and racist . Now they ’ re playing it again , despite the court case . Nothing has changed. ’ Lutfur Rahman , who was Britain ’ s first elected Muslim mayor , has met lawyers to discuss seeking a judicial review of the Election Court ’ s decision that he was responsible for bribery and voter fraud . Supporters said he continued to deny any wrongdoing . Police have been urged to launch a fresh investigation into fraud in the 2014 mayoral election , which will be re-run in June . Lutfur Rahman , a Bangladesh-born former Labour council leader , has been banned from running for public office , or even voting , for five years . Four voters launched legal action against him after complaints that police and the Electoral Commission had failed to act . Andy Erlam - who launched legal action against the mayor with Angela Moffat and Azmal Hussein ( pictured left to right ) - said Oliur Rahman was in 'complete denial ' The group was headed by Andy Erlam , who stood as a councillor on an anti-corruption ticket . Mr Erlam said Lutfur Rahman ’ s supporters – including Oliur Rahman – were in ‘ complete denial ’ . He added : ‘ They are still claiming Rahman didn ’ t do anything wrong despite a devastating judgment by a respected High Court judge who spent six weeks considering the dreadful evidence . ‘ It makes me shudder to think they were in charge of a £1.3billion budget of taxpayers ’ money . ’
Oliur Rahman took over from deposed mayor Lutfur Rahman yesterday . Tower Hamlets First Hamlets First leader said borough still had deep-rooted racism . This is despite a judge 's ruling which said group 'played the race card ' Rahman 's latest comments derided as 'ludicrous ' by local Tory group .