So long, Farewell, I’m Leaving You, Goodbye

Things move fast in the world of Newham politics. On May 5th, Pushpa Makwana was elected to the seat in the newly formed Plashet Ward. Shortly after, she was elected by her colleagues to the role of Chair of the Newham Labour Group.

But, less than a month later it became known that she was leaving Newham for the balmier climes of the (Tory-led) London Borough of Havering.

Nothing wrong in that?

It’s quite legal. You simply have to have an interest in the borough that you stand in, in order to qualify for election. The interest is generally that you live in (and are registered to vote in) the borough. We won’t dwell on this point because we do not want to cause the mayor any more personal embarrassment. But the law also allows someone with a property interest in the borough to stand; or someone who lives elsewhere but works in the borough.

The Labour Party has somewhat stricter rules, (though clearly it does not enforce them in Newham). As far as the Labour Party is concerned, you must live in the borough in which you stand.

Unless things change with a rapidity beyond imagining in the Makwana household, it must have been clear to Cllr Makwana that she was moving out before May 5th. Regardless, she stood for election in Newham, the borough that she was leaving.

It is clearly possible that Cllr Makwana was so committed to the political project in Newham and so desperate to continue striving to deliver on the political programme that she could not bear the emotional strain of leaving and letting her colleagues down. It is equally possible that the Labour Party had run out of women and was desperate for anyone who could stand. It is also possible that she just wanted the money.

Which brings us to a different point. In her entry on the register of interests she records that she is the branch secretary for the GMB in Newham. We understand that she receives an honorarium for holding this role.

This puts Cllr Makwana in a unique position. She is the only person who receives payment for being a ‘staff representative’ and an ‘employer’s representative’. She is, in fact, taking money from both sides.

We understand that Cllr Gray has raised this as a matter where there might be some conflict of interest, but apparently his concerns were dismissed.

To any disinterested observer, this must appear to be a conflict of the most obvious sort.

Cllr Makwana has not broken any laws by choosing to move out of the borough, although this does begin to explain why she was a parent governor at Oaks Park School in Redbridge- Home in Havering; children at school in Redbridge. So, just what is her real connection with Newham?

And what has Newham Labour done?

You might think that the Chief Whip would have invited her for a conversation about her leaving the borough or her conflicts of interest. Apparently not

You might think that this would have been a matter of interest to the London Region of the Labour Party. Alas, not.

Maybe the NEC who supervised the selection of councillor candidates in 2022 would have been interested? Nah.

Well, maybe the mayor had a chat to ensure that there was no potential embarrassment to the mayor or the Labour Party. It seems not.

Newham’s Labour Councillor, (soon to be) living in Havering! Taking money to represent both Newham employers and Newham employees. A fine example of public service to us all.