Is Labour’s Coalition of Communities Fracturing?

An article in UKMalayalee.com suggests that South Indians are beginning to lose their affection for Labour. Nationally this has been shown in the number of people of Indian descent who now see their values and aspirations more closely aligned with those of the Conservative Party. That doesn’t seem to be happening in Newham. Yet.

The article notes that in the forthcoming election, there will be no Maylayalee council candidates, nor will there be any Tamils.

“Councillor Omana Gangadharan from Wall End ward and Councillor Sugathan Thekkepurayil of East Ham Central are the two Malayalee councillors who are not listed in the new list of Labour Party candidates for the council elections to take place on 5th May 2022.

“Former Labour Councillor Jose Alexander too is not featured in the new list of candidates.

“There is also no representation from the Tamil community as former Councillor Paul Sathyanesan is also not featured in the new list.”

In part this may be the result of a ham-fisted attempt at ‘diversity’ by a panel with little understanding of the nuances of the borough; It might suggest the ascendency of other groups. We will look specifically at the increase in Bangladeshi candidates whilst all of the sitting Bangladeshi councillors were dumped or resigned.

Given the strong identification of a number of south Indian candidates with particular wards, we wonder whether Labour will be facing a Tamil/Malayalee slate in one of them, or possibly under the banner of the Tories or the Lib-Dems.

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