More Dirty Tricks in Newham Labour
It seems that the councillors who have the dubious honour of serving on the Budget Working Party have found themselves in hot water.
We are told that the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Commission has referred them all AND the Mayor to the Standards Advisory Committee. This is described on the council website thus.
Newham has set up a Standards Advisory Committee, comprising of five independent people and four councillors. Further information is set out in Part 1 of the Council’s Constitution. The Standards Advisory Committee has a number of functions, including the consideration of any breaches of the Code of Conduct, promoting and maintaining high standards of conduct, and advising the Council on the adoption and revision of the Code of Conduct and the various Protocols included in the Constitution.
You, dear reader, might be under the impression that the Budget Working Party is there to scrutinise the work of the mayor and test her budget proposals. That doesn’t seem to be the opinion of the mayor. It seems that she feels that the working party should merely endorse her proposals.
It appears that the criticism of the budget, which seemed to be spending much more than was coming in, was headed by one Councillor Terry Paul. Cllr Paul had previously been the cabinet member for finance under Fiaz, so it is just possible that he might have had some idea about what was going on.
In an acrimonious exchange between the pair, it appears that both said things which were best unspoken.
As a result, Cllr Paul has also been reported to the Standards Committee by Mayor Fiaz. Just for good measure, Cllr Paul has reported Mayor Fiaz as well.
The allegations against Paul are that he has acted in a way that is both misogynistic and racist towards Fiaz. Shame on him. The substance seems to be that he criticised her budget and would not back down. Any challenge to her authority appears to be treated as misogyny (and/or racism; we were under the impression that only white people could be racist in today’s Labour Party, but you live and learn).
Amongst those who know Cllr Paul and indeed those who have criticisms of him, the suggestions that he is either racist or misogynistic are, let us say, out of character.
As to why such (frankly hyperbolic) allegations have been levelled at him, we can only surmise.
So, surmise we will!
Both Fiaz and Paul are said to be interested in the Stratford and Bow parliamentary seat. If you recall the way in which Redbridge council leader, Jas Athwal was treated, and how local councillor Hanif Abdulmuhit was also treated, you begin to see a pattern.
If the allegations of misogyny can be kept afloat, then Paul may be suspended (at least until after the selections). This will mean that Fiaz has a shot at the seat, free from the threat of a strong local challenge.
Paul and Fiaz, the comrades seem to have fallen out.