Political motions can be used for a variety of reasons.

At their best, they can influence policy and the direction in which the council moves; they can highlight issues that have been hidden; they can generate a change of thinking.

Prior to the election, Keir Starmer spoke to the Sun newspaper, regarding asylum seekers who had been denied status in the UK and who had exhausted their appeals. The context was that the Tories had reduced the number of repatriations in the months leading up to the election.

After a traumatic few weeks in which firstly he was accused of sexual assault and then forced to stand down as a candidate for the safe parliamentary seat in Barking, only to discover that after the selections, the allegations suddenly evaporated, Cllr Darren Rodwell has chosen to stand down as the leader of the ruling Labour Group in Barking and Dagenham.

Several names have been suggested as potential replacements for Mayor Fiaz. Whatever happens, it seems that the smart money is on Fiaz being given the Spanish Archer before the next election.

Mayor Fiaz has been observed taking credit for the byelection successes in Forest Gate North and Maryland. However, our thoughts are that her assertions that the crisis is over may be a little premature.

Over a year ago, Councillor Carlene Lee-Phakoe resigned from the cabinet. The cause of her resignation stemmed from a major policy difference between her and the mayor. In short, Lee-Phakoe, who had held the community safety portfolio, wanted a policy which included enforcement and moving on sex workers. The mayor didn’t.

Readers may have heard the sad news that former councillor, Paul Sathianesan recently died following a short illness.

We earlier reflected on the way in which allegations against Cllr Darren Rodwell, had suddenly appeared. And then, just as suddenly, disappeared. (Here and here.)

We may be forced to revise our predictions for the Beckton byelection.

With the general election over, thoughts are going to the two byelections scheduled for July 18th. Little Ilford still seems to be odds-on for Newham Independents.

(Picture from The Conversation.com)

Locally and nationally Muslims are openly voting as a block. Not all of them. Not all the time, but the emergence of Aspire in Tower Hamlets (Bangladeshi), Newham Independents, (largely Pakistani) and four independent Muslim MPs in the 2024 election were all the result of campaigns built on the interests of a religious block, (perhaps ethno-religious blocks).

Good to see the “superb and talented” new councillors, who replace the “fantastic” and “outstanding” councillors who have stepped down.

Behind the veneer of electoral success, and by any standards 412 seats is a success of historic proportions, there lies a hidden truth that suggests that the mandate Keir Starmer is claiming is not quite so strong.

Behind all of the congratulations and euphoria, (on what was a remarkable day for Labour), locally enthusiasm for any of the candidates was limited.

It seems that defections are in the air.

On Tuesday 2nd July, just two days before the general election, Georgie David, Reform’s candidate for the West Ham and Beckton seat resigned. What’s more, she urged her supporters to vote for the Conservatives, who will clearly be grateful for any help they can get.

We learn that Labour activists, (and there aren’t that many of them), have been expressing concern about the canvass returns for the council by-election in Beckton.

Labour, it seems is hemorrhaging councillors. Canning Town North councillor, Areeq Chowdhury has announced that he has left Labour in order to join the Greens. They have welcomed him.

We remarked upon the decision of Lyn Brown MP to stand down from her Stratford seat. We speculated that this presaged her elevation to the House of Lords.

This article from The Guardian kinda adds fuel to the speculation.

Courtesy of social media, we see a small team of Labour activists (incl. one councillor, one ex-councillor and one wannabe councillor), out leafleting for the Labour Party in Beckton.

It appears that candidate James Asser now has his election campaign up and running. He has his own on-line presence together with a number of endorsements.

There appears to be a shortage of male candidates from the Labour Party. We understand that Labour has chosen their candidate to fight the byelection in Little Ilford. Our sources tell us that, following his storming performance in Plaistow North, where he came second to the Independent candidate, Aktharul Alam has been chosen to fight in Little Ilford for Labour.