Deputy Mayor Sacked

Is the Mayor telling the Truth? Deputy Mayor – Did He Jump or Was He Pushed?

We have two diametrically opposed versions of the same story.

In one, a principled politician gives up the gravy train to campaign for a different way of doing things.

In the other, the unrepentant politician repeats the imprudent behaviour of the former Leader of the Labour Party and was sacked. 

This is not just about whether a politician fulfils her election pledges. It’s not even about the empty slogans. If the information we have received is correct, and we believe that it is, then this is more than parliamentary circumlocution. It is a 180 degree distortion of the truth. The belief that Fiaz is covering up allegations of antisemitism to protect her friend are already out there, as this comment on Twitter shows.

Given Mayor Fiaz’s commitment to openness and transparency, we call upon her to:

• Confirm that a report was commissioned into the (as yet undisclosed) actions of Cllr Gray

• Publish that report to members of the Labour Group and truthfully inform the Labour Party members in Newham of its contents and findings. 

• Publish the minute of the Gray matter from the Political Cabinet discussion to the members of the Labour Group

• Publish the real reasons for the removal of Cllr Gray.

At the moment it seems that the ‘open’ and ‘transparent’ mayor is treating her colleagues on the council like mushrooms. Just in case you are not familiar with the reference, mushrooms are kept in the dark and fed on s**t.

Sacking is not the story that Cllr Gray is putting about. Apparently, having fought to get Fiaz into the job, he now sees his political future in getting rid of the role.

We understand that Fiaz wants to provide a soft landing for her friend. What we don’t understand is why she is willing to risk the political backlash when the truth comes out.

Fiaz and Gray have history. They were key collaborators in the movement to oust Wales. So it was, we are told, that a lachrymose Fiaz announced to her ‘political cabinet’ at the end of last week, that Gray would be going.

We are seeking further information, but it appears that Cllr Gray was unwise enough to express some rather un-PC comments within the earshot of Newham’s only Jewish councillor. This it seems, formed the basis of a complaint to the Mayor.

For reasons known only to her, she then sat on the matter for a month or more.

We are told that a report was eventually commissioned and paid for by the Labour Group, but that its findings have not been released to them, nor have they been informed of the reasons behind Gray’s ouster. It does seem that the report was sufficiently damning to justify Gray’s removal. 

Interestingly, instead of using the offices of the Labour Group, it seems that Fiaz chose to engage an outsider to investigate. This may be because Gray and Chief Whip Anamul Islam are friends of old. It may be because she felt that her Chief Whip was not up to the task, but the Group officers and the normal party procedures seem to have been side-lined. 

Talking of side-lining. We hear that it was suggested at the political cabinet meeting, that the embattled mayor stood down for a while. The only reason that the matter was not pushed was because it would mean that her post would have to be covered by the intellectual giant who occupies the other deputy post.