If anyone thought this mayoral race was going to drift quietly toward polling day, they were very much mistaken. The gloves didn’t just come off, they were thrown across the room.

If the bookies are correct, Forhad Hussain will easily win on May 7th. But the bookies seem to have more confidence in Labour than do the local politicians. Time will tell as to who is correct.

The BBC report notes that In 2023, “there were initial decisions on 3,430 LGBT asylum claims, and nearly 1,400 new asylum claims lodged on the basis of sexual orientation.” That is some 42% were made by Pakistani nationals.

We thought that we might ask the very first executive mayor of Newham for his thoughts on the forthcoming elections and about the candidates.

The candidates have been announced and there is plenty of choice before the electors this May.

Those who launched the attack; politicians, journalist and behind the scenes actors may soon discover that actions have real world legal consequences.

Newham Independents are clearly confident that they have hoovered up the Pakistani vote. 

Mayor Fiaz seems intent of shovelling out cash as fast as she can.

It seems that there is £1 million in community grants that must be shovelled out of the building before she leaves office. Quite coincidentally, this will be just in time for the election.

The overwhelmingly white middle classed eco warriors within the Labour Party in Newham, So aggrieved are they that they can see the end of their Green revolution project irrespective of who becomes Mayor in May, Mirza or Hussain they are content to blow up their own ship to achieve their ideological aims.

Across the country, the Labour Party appears to be facing a problem that would have been almost unthinkable not long ago, finding enough people willing to stand as candidates.

Are we seeing the same problem in Newham for Labour?

Sources have provided Open Newham with what appears to be an early glimpse of the thinking behind the forthcoming Newham Labour manifesto for the 2026 local elections.

What Do These Four Have in Common?

We understand that Zain Miah has left the Labour Party and is proposing to stand as an independent. Not one of Mehmood Mirza’s Newham Independents, but as an independent, Independent.

It seems that Labour’s Mayor Fiaz has found something useful to do in the days before she leaves office.

She has gone on a jolly at the expense of Newham Taxpayers….. to Cannes!

Residents in Newham will know Kamali as a Labour figure. But her political journey has not been confined to one party, one movement or even one borough. In fact, her path through London politics tells a rather different story.

We know it is an embarrassing payment for the council, but it is a statement of fact that the Mayor was paid £36,000 in the 2024/2025 financial year.  This was to cover the legal costs she incurred in taking her own council to court. 

Clive Furness has today announced that he will be standing as the Reform candidate for Mayor of Newham.

Sir Robin Wales is the New Director for Local Government London for Reform.

It is widely rumoured that Mackin may not be long for the Newham role as any new administration will want to distance itself from the Fiaz era failures which are intrinsically linked to Mackin.

I served for most of my adult life. After nearly 30 years as a Labour member and 20 years as an elected Labour councillor, writing these words feels like a personal failure as much as a political one. But silence, at this point, feels worse.

It seems that we are due for some disruption prior to the May elections. The BBC reports that members of Unite in a number of authorities, including Newham are to be balloted over this year’s pay claim.