Desai vs Fiaz – Trouble Brewing in Newham Labour Ranks?

The corridors of Newham's political scene are abuzz with talk of a dramatic fallout between Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz and Assembly Member Unmesh Desai. The cause? A blistering email reportedly fired off by Fiaz to Desai, cc’ing councillors and council officers, in a move that some are calling both bold and reckless.

Sources suggest the Mayor was less than pleased with Desai’s recent visit to the home of ex-housing lead Councillor Shaban Mohammed, a meeting also attended by former councillor Forhad Hussain. Mohammed, still reeling from the catastrophic C4 grading slapped on Newham’s housing department by the social housing regulator, had apparently turned to his long-time mentor Desai for support.

But the Mayor’s irritation wasn’t just about the visit itself. Allegations have surfaced that Fiaz suspects Desai of meddling behind the scenes, possibly even coercing Mohammed into resigning to embarrass her administration. An extraordinary claim, though insiders have been quick to dismiss it as more smoke and mirrors from a Mayor whose administration is no stranger to controversy.

The housing department fiasco has left Fiaz on shaky ground, with blame firmly landing at Mohammed’s feet in what many see as an attempt to deflect scrutiny from her own leadership. Mohammed, left “high and dry” by the Mayor, had little choice but to step aside — though not without support from allies like Desai.

In what some are calling a masterclass in composure, Desai reportedly responded to Fiaz’s tirade with an email of his own: a sharp yet professional note reaffirming his commitment to work with her for the remainder of her term, “as the people of Newham deserve nothing less.” Translation? Desai is sticking around, but he’s already eyeing the finish line on Fiaz’s tenure, which he seemingly expects to conclude in 2026 or sooner.

And here’s where things get interesting. Could Desai’s steady hand and calm demeanor in the face of Fiaz’s apparent finger-pointing signal a larger ambition? There’s speculation that Desai has been tapped by Labour higher-ups as a potential successor to the embattled Mayor. A calculated move, perhaps, as Fiaz’s administration continues to lurch from one crisis to the next.

For regular observers of Newham’s political soap opera, the playbook is all too familiar: Fiaz makes mistakes, then scrambles to point the finger elsewhere. Whether or not Desai is indeed being groomed for a bid to take over the mayoralty remains to be seen, but one thing is certain — Newham’s political landscape is far from settled.

We’ll keep watching, dear readers. With Fiaz at the helm, the drama shows no sign of abating. Stay tuned.