A Bit of Fun at the Expense of Newham Independents, and a Serious Point.
It’s hard to believe that it is the same person. Photos on two different leaflets, clearly taken at the same time, (same suit, same tie), Md Nazrul Islam seems to have undergone a remarkable regeneration.
The middle-aged man in the first photo appears twenty years younger in the second. We live in the age of “AI age-filters” which allow “cutting edge algorithms to deliver lifelike age transformations within seconds”. Surely Newham Independents would not be resorting to such shallow tactics to convince the voters that they were presenting an energetic and youthful candidate, rather than a middle-aged hack.
Of course it may be simply that Mr Islam had the chance to apply some skin-toning wonder cream between shots. If so, we’d love to hear from him about just what it is that he uses. We suspect that is not the case as this is as he appeared on election night, (centre) from Newham Citizen.
And here as he appears, again in his regenerated form on the Independents’ Facebook page. Will Plaistow residents recognize him? And which picture will they use on the council website we wonder?
Leaving the matter of the photographs, we took a brief look at the campaign material of the two main contenders.
The Independents campaigned, insisting that it was a two-horse race. Clearly they were right, though if this had been a horse race someone would have asked whether the Labour horse had been nobbled.
The Independents ignored the results of July 2024, (four Labour byelection wins) as these would upset the narrative. But they were right in one respect, the fight was just between Labour and the Independents. The voters were familiar with the record of the council under Mayor Fiaz and the Independents made the most of it. In 2026 we are bound to wonder, will Reform begin to eat into any of Labour’s vote?
The Issues
Cllr Mirza has been consistent in his critique of Labour in power. “Labour is Failing”. Dirty streets, overspending, clamping down on dissent at the taxpayer’s expense with NDAs etc.
Of course, Gaza makes an appearance, just so the faithful know who is on their side. Labour’s Ash Singh responded with;
All good stuff, if a bit anodyne. It might have sounded more convincing if Labour hadn’t been in power for the last decade.
Campaigning on the ‘bread-and-butter’ issues is fine, but it helps if your mayor hasn’t hiked council tax, overseen a decline in services and a collapse in popular support.
Labour certainly put in the effort in Plaistow South, but the campaign was little more than vote for us, we’re Labour, with very little to inspire their supporters who seem to have stayed away in droves.
The Battle of the Flags
Labour has latterly started to brand its publications with the Union flag. Newham Independents have adopted the flag of another country, that isn’t actually a country, (yet?).
Labour’s sudden attachment to the national flag was unlikely to convince Reform or Tory voters that Labour shared their interests, in addition it may have alienated the voters that Newham Independents are seeking to cultivate.
The independents’ attachment to the colours of the pan-Arab movement (red, green, black, white) is at the very least a bit incongruous. But of course, in this format it provides a helpful dog whistle for Gaza.
By Their Friends…
We have previously noted the close relationship between Newham Independents and one Jeremy Corbyn MP. Whilst we don’t know whether Newham members have joined Jezbollah, sorry Your Party, (or even Sultana’s private enterprise version) but it is clear that we will see them working closely over the next few months as the council elections approach. That is likely as long as the “sexist boy’s club”, (according to Zarah Sultana) hasn’t torn itself apart in legal disputes between its MP leaders.
Councillor Mehmood Mirza & Jeremy Corbyn MP
It may be Corbyn’s influence or simply an expression of utopian politics, but Mr Islam promised the following in his election leaflets.