“The Letter” Does Not Represent a Statement of the Labour Group According to Chair. Cracks Appearing in Labour Group.

Despite the feelings aroused in Plaistow North, the events stemming from the October 7th attack are not central to issues affecting the delivery of services from the council in Newham. 

The conflict in Israel/Gaza has however, raised anxiety and the threat of hate crime in the community. 

The Labour Group, aware of the tensions that are also rising in the wider Labour Party, chose not to issue a public statement on the events in Gaza. This may be a decision that Labour Party members agree with, it may not, but it was the decision of the Group.

Labour councillors, including the Chair of Group, were then a little surprised to learn that Mayor Fiaz and Chief Whip Anamul Islam had set about flouting the will of Group within hours of the decision being made and were seeking to issue a ‘statement’ by any other means.

It is evident that neither Mayor Fiaz nor Chief Whip Islam feel constrained by the decisions made at Labour Group. Fiaz’s behaviour is described by sitting councillors as increasingly authoritarian and this is matched by her increasing alienation from the Group. Remember, it is only a couple of weeks since her candidate for scrutiny chair managed to poll an embarrassingly small vote (13 we are told) in a battle with Group Chair, Lakmini Shah.

Instead of a collective decision, Fiaz and Islam drafted a letter on Gaza. The letter addressed to Keir Starmer was being touted around by Labour Whip Cllr Islam. Reports have come to Open Newham that the invitation to sign was accompanied by threats and coercion. This reminded us that the complaint from 20 plus councillors alleging bullying behaviour on the part of the mayor has not been resolved (and this is not untypical of the behaviour we have come to expect, see here).

It would have been possible for the council to initiate cross community meetings and messaging to reduce tension and build community trust. This is the approach that some Labour authorities have taken in London, Mayor Fiaz chose not to do this at a time when hate crimes reported against Jews have increased exponentially and when her Jewish colleagues on the council have warned of behaviour by some of the comrades.

Fiaz has a history of being soft on antisemitism; her behaviour raises the question of whether her actions on Gaza, should be seen as a matter of real-politick. She has seen the numbers. Muslims outnumber Jews by roughly 100 to 1 in the borough. Retaining power seems more important than retaining principles. A letter critical of the Labour leadership might just stem the haemorrhaging of support she has lost in the community.

In addition to the original 30, we learn from Newham 65 that a further three councillors have signed.

This is interesting. Why is it that the three did not sign the original but have now decided to append their names?

We were aware that both of the Virdees and Winston Vaughan were coming under significant pressure from members of their local parties and constituents to sign the letter. Miraj Patel would also have been coming under community pressure to fall in line. It should be noted that both Cllrs Virdee and Vaughan represent wards with a substantial south Asian Muslim population. It is our suspicion that the electoral arithmetic has been made clear to them and that they too have decided that principle is somewhat less important than retaining their seats.

Readers will note the proximity of their wards to Plaistow North.

It is understood, that at this time of some crisis for the Labour Group, NEC Chair and Deputy Mayor James Asser is MIA, (missing in action). His response to the controversy appears to be to stay the hell away. Just the sort of leadership you want in a potential political leader.

Where is Asser?

We have received copies of the letter sent by the Chair of the Labour Group. If what she says is correct, and we suspect that it is, then the democratic will as expressed by the Group is being subverted from within, to pursue a particular agenda. 

Here is the text of the letter from Cllr Lakmini Shah to the members of Labour Group.

Dear Colleagues,

I trust this message finds you in good health and high spirits. As the Chair of Group I, I am writing to draw your attention to recent developments surrounding the signing of a letter addressed to our leader, Sir Keir, by half of the members of the Labour Group.

To provide context, during our full Labour Group meeting held on November 1st at 5 pm, it was unanimously agreed that the Labour Group would not issue a statement at that time. The purpose of the meeting was to create a supportive space for our colleagues to discuss any issues they are facing and discuss various issues within their respective wards. This meeting stood out for its camaraderie, empathy, compassion, and the shared commitment to the core ideologies of the Labour Party that we hold dear.

Following this, our Chief Whip, Anam, made it clear that individual Councillors or groups of ward Councillors were allowed to respond to queries from their constituents while adhering to the Labour Party's guidelines.

Regrettably, we learned that approximately 12 hours after our Labour Group meeting, a statement was signed by half of the Labour Group, with the Mayor, Rokhsana Fiaz, being the first signatory. It's essential to emphasise that this statement did not represent the official position of the Labour Group, as agreed in our prior meeting. Furthermore, this action was taken without consulting the entirety of our Group, causing unwarranted social media backlash and, in some cases, harassment against our Labour colleagues. This is contrary to our principles of solidarity, and as a united Labour Group, we must collaborate more effectively.

I have personally engaged with colleagues from the Jewish faith who have expressed concerns about my decision, and I have provided them with the necessary clarifications. All my communications have been shared with David Evens, the General Secretary of the Labour Party, and Perline Sangha, the Director of the Labour Party.

It is important to acknowledge that no reasonable person endorses war, as it invariably results in violence and suffering for innocent people. While we have agreed to support our constituents who have friends and family in conflict areas, we must also protect and support our fellow public office holders who tirelessly work to enhance the prospects and well-being of our residents.

I light of this, I propose that the Labour Group officers convene on a weekly basis meeting every Wednesday evening to discuss and determine the most effective means of supporting both our colleagues and our residents in strict accordance with Labour Party regulations.

If Shah is correct, it is clear that Fiaz and Islam have colluded to subvert the will of the Labour Group. It doesn’t matter. They now have a majority of the Group as signatories so there will be no comeback locally.

In addition to this we have obtained a copy of the letter from Shah to Garfield. 

Dear Joshua,

Thank you for your comprehensive email. In my capacity as the Labour Group Chair, I wish to clarify that the Group's official stance was not to issue statements collectively. You may observe that I am not among the signatories of the mentioned letter.

I want to make it explicitly clear that this letter was neither circulated to all Labour Councillors, nor does it represent an official statement of the Labour Group. I, personally, was unaware of its existence until it appeared on social media.

It is my understanding that this letter was disseminated with the authorisation of Councillor Anam, the Chief Whip, who allowed members to send letters individually or in small groups, provided they adhered to party guidelines. Our Muslim colleagues have been experiencing tremendous pressure, and community unrest is widespread. I believe they felt compelled to respond to their community by sending this letter.

Regrettably, the sole Muslim faith Councillor who did not endorse the letter is now facing online harassment, as are Councillor James Asser and myself, in my role as the Labour Group Chair. It is a difficult time for all of us.

I acknowledge that the safety of our fellow Councillors is of utmost importance. I will compose a letter to the Council's CEO, requesting an assessment of the risks faced by our Jewish Councillors and proposing measures to ensure their protection. I will include you as a recipient of that correspondence.

I understand that these are challenging and distressing times for you, and I am here to offer my support as the Chair of the Labour Group. I am more than willing to have an offline conversation to provide any assistance you may require.

I trust that this response addresses your concerns for the time being.

Sincerely,
Lakmini Shah 

Chair of Labour Group- Newham