Communitarian Politics on the Rise in Newham.

The communitarian agenda of an Islamist faction in the Labour Party was clearly shown in Tower Hamlets. This issue in The Standard and this one from The Telegraph give a bit of the picture of the debacle that saw Lutfur Rahman removed from office by the courts for corrupt practices. It hasn’t ended as this article in The Guardian illustrates. 

This form of politics has recently shown its head in Newham. Echoing the People’s Alliance for Tower Hamlets, Newham People’s Alliance took the role of organiser and cheerleader for the anti-Wales campaign.

The following is one of several leaflets handed out at Labour Party selection meetings in 2017-18 in an attempt to remove the incumbent mayor, Robin Wales. The issue is not the inaccuracies, despite the current concern with fake news, lies and deceptions have been political currency for centuries. They are not good, but they are not new.

What is concern that these lies and deceptions are being used to mobilise one community. In this case it is members of the Muslim community, and incidents recorded by activists suggest that it might be specifically the Bangladeshi community. Outside selectins meetings activists reported the presence of Bangladeshi men speaking in Sylheti or Bengali, instructing members how to vote as they arrived.

The leaflet begins with the Muslim greeting of peace. That is the only thing positive about it.

The assertions in the leaflet are probably incorrect, see footnote below*

Throughout the selection campaign one Facebook page was leading the campaign to mobilise Muslims against Wales. In part this was because Wales was blamed by the NPA for the failure to get planning permission for the “mega-mosque” in Temple Mills.

Newham Recorder NPA and Mega Mosque

In part, it appears, it was because the divisive communitarian politics of Tower Hamlets were being imported into Newham.

The NPA on-line presence now seems wholly subservient to the new administration. For instance, their twitter feed is a virtual propaganda arm of the new administration. We understand that it has been taken over by a certain cabinet member of Pakistani descent.

  *Thanks to various contributors who have responded to our enquiry. (1) The numbers of people in work in Newham increased during the Wales administration, largely because of Workplace and Newham went from being 3rd from bottom of the deprivation indices to 23rd in six years. (2) Stratford Station had significant investment, Pudding Mill Lane received and entirely new station. (3) Green St Market was given a grant of £3m. An association of stall holders and shopkeepers in the market were granted the lead in how that money was spent, much of it went on a new roof. (4) Perhaps the real concern of the writer. Wales stopped the mega-mosque. Wales wasn’t on the planning committee. What he actually did was ensure that the application was treated in the same manner as any other application and not singled out for attention in the manner advocated by the CPA. (5) Sort of. Wales did support a proposal to redevelop Queens Market. It wasn’t viable so it didn’t happen. (6) Under Wales the rule was around 30% of new build properties should be affordable/subsidised, see Royal Docks, Stratford Olympic Village, Boleyn Ground for example. In her last act as a councillor Fiaz voted to agree a development beside Plaistow Station with NO social housing. (7) Wales introduced Local Space. This was a scheme to increase the number of council owned properties for rent, on terms of 3-5 years for people on the housing list. Additionally, he introduced Red Door Ventures (now renamed as Populo Living) by which housing rented to the private sector would subsidise housing in the social sector. At a time when there was absolutely no money from government for social housing development, Newham acquired some 2000 properties for people on the housing list. (8) Schools in Newham, in common with most of London showed a remarkable improvement in results and in the fabric of the school estates. The Wales administration also invested significantly in the emotional and social wellbeing of school children at school as well as in their cultural and sporting opportunities. (9) Building 1000 was purchased for the sum of around £90m. In 2016 it was valued at £146m. Additionally it enabled LBN to close some 47 other buildings and bring the staff together under one roof. This generated significant revenue and efficiency savings that went into tens of millions of pounds.