A Politician for All Seasons? Sabia Kamalis Changing Colours

Cllr Sabia Kamali - All the parties she has stood for in an election.

In politics, people sometimes evolve. They change their views, rethink their alliances, and move between parties as their beliefs develop. Occasionally the question arises, is it evolution or simply convenience?

Councillor Sabia Kamali appears to be a case study in political flexibility.

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.

Some 18 years ago Kamali was firmly in bed with the Socialist Workers and the Respect party. She stood as a candidate for the respect party against Labour in Newham. She did not manage to get elected but that did not seem to slow down her political ambitions. 

Here is a link to the article that declares Kamali had been selected as a respect candidate under the leadership of George Galloway. 

https://socialistworker.co.uk/news/london-respect-members-select-candidates/

Tower Hamlets Mayor - Lutfur Rahman and Sabia Kamali (Current Labour Councillor)

Back in 2014, Kamali stood in Tower Hamlets as part of Lutfur Rahman’s Tower Hamlets First slate. At the time, that political platform positioned itself as a challenge to Labour’s establishment politics and presented itself as a grassroots alternative speaking directly to communities who felt ignored by the mainstream parties.

Interestingly, the policy tone and rhetoric used by Tower Hamlets First in 2014 bears a striking resemblance to many of the themes currently being raised by the Newham Independents today. Local accountability, community representation and a challenge to entrenched political power.

Yet in recent years Kamali has been among the most vocal critics of Councillor Mehmood Mirza and the Newham Independents, frequently dismissing their platform and attacking their political approach. Which begs the question has Kamali’s views changed or is she saying what she thinks those around her want to hear? Just over a decade ago she was espousing views that would have been near identical to the Newham Independents.

Which raises an obvious question: if those ideas were acceptable in 2014 when she stood under a similar banner, why are they suddenly beyond the pale today?

It is a fair question for voters to ask.

Of course, Kamali is not alone in navigating different political affiliations. Hanif Abdulmuhit has also had a varied political journey. London politics is full of figures who have moved between parties, alliances and factions over time.

But what makes the current situation particularly curious is the sudden resurgence of certain online commentators in Newham. 

For nearly eight years, some local blogs were almost completely silent. No commentary. No investigations. No political analysis. Just quiet. Readers will do well to note that the period of silence directly overlaps with the tenure of one Rokhsana Fiaz as the mayor of Newham. Now that her reign is coming to an end it seems that her old allies are cranking up their keyboards to once again start commenting on Newham politics. 

The problem for these moribund bloggers is that they have lost all credibility, they had nothing to say about a disastrous C4 rating, allegations of bullying and ultimately a taxpayer funded payout to a senior Newham politician. All big stories in there own right but they stayed silent. Why?

Yet as the 2026 Newham elections approach, keyboards appear to have sprung back into action.

Some observers suggest the explanation may lie closer to home, a Newham blogger who applied to become a Labour councillor but reportedly failed to secure selection within Labour and now appears to be on something of a personal crusade.

Whether that is coincidence or motivation remains to be seen.

What is clear, however, is that Newham residents are becoming increasingly aware of the double standards and shifting loyalties that characterise parts of local politics and the commentary that surrounds it..

Criticism is a healthy part of democracy. Scrutiny is important. Debate is essential.

But when the loudest critics have previously stood on the very same platforms they now condemn, voters are entitled to ask a simple question.

Is this about principle or just politics?

As the election draws closer, the electorate will ultimately decide which voices they trust.

And in Newham, trust is becoming the most valuable currency of all.