James Asser gets the plum job and the title, Deputy Mayor. This is despite his very lack-lustre performance in his previous role where he alienated parents and the supporters of the City Farm; and everyone who owns a car; shopkeepers in East Ham and Green St; and residents and motorists on Browning Road.

Now that we have seen that the cabinet has been announced, let’s take a look at which oppressed and under-represented groups have made good.

For the first time since the introduction of the mayoralty, the mayor has polled a smaller percentage of the vote than have the Labour council candidates.

Additionally, Newham had the second lowest turnout of any borough in London, which suggests a degree of disillusionment on the part of the voters.

The Big Story is clearly, that on a vote that saw the Labour Party increase its numbers across the country, in East London, their vote went down.

Across London, Labour took Wandsworth, Westminster and Barnet. It was a night to excite the faintest of Labour hearts, although it is possible that registering their disgust at the behaviour of those at the top of the party, Conservative voters simply stayed at home.

Between writing the article on Cllr Belgica Guana, and her unfortunate sympathies for right-wing conspiracy theories and publishing it, the Labour Party has indeed got its act together and suspended her.

“The Holocaust Hoax and the Jewish Promotion of Perversity”

We have conjectured who would be the first Labour councillor in the new batch to be suspended. Now we have a favourite for all of you with a predilection for gambling.

Two incidents appear to have given rise to complaints to the police for breaches of election law.

In an unusual twist, we are beginning to see individual Labour Party candidates targeted for particular actions. Time will tell whether this will have an effect or whether it is just background noise.

Only a few weeks to go and the mayoral statements from the various candidates have been released. We take a brief look at them in the order in which they appear.

It must sound like the most boring committee on the council, still the Audit Committee retains an important safeguarding role for the reputation of the council and the spending of public money.

From mayoral candidate Simeon Ademolake

“Thanks so much for your article about my Mayoral bid. Unfortunately, some of your information is inaccurate.

What is surprising about this ‘manifesto’ is just how lacking in ambition it really is. We are not going to go through all 48 pages of it, but Labour have helpfully edited the highlights, (by cutting out pictures of the mayor, the Labour Party could have reduced its length by half!).

We see that many of the parties have put out a full slate contesting every seat in every ward. Whilst this looks like a bit of political muscle flexing, it belies the way in which the various parties have chosen to posture, rather than seek power.

New councillors and indeed, the new Chief Exec should be forewarned.

The main parties have announced their candidates. We take a brief look at them here.

We are not going to carry every candidate for council, but this declaration is interesting. It is becoming evident that Labour is going to come under pressure from some of its former members.

In what must be one of the more unusual announcements, we learn that the CPA, (Christian People’s Alliance) has chosen Simeon Ademolake as their candidate for mayor.

We take a swipe at most of those who are standing down or those who have been removed, albeit unwillingly, from Labour’s list for 2022. Genuinely, we would like to say thank you, for the time and the efforts you have put in to serving the borough.

Labour has now decided upon its candidates for the 2022 local elections in May. It seems like a victory for Mayor Fiaz who has cleared out almost all of those connected to the ancien regime and imported a number who will be unfamiliar to readers, and to most of the local Labour Party!