CAKE-GATE: The Great Newham Backfire
Gujarati Community Condemns Council Over “Baking Witch-Hunt” as the Scandal Over Cllr Dawood and Her Father Escalates
What began as a row over sponge and spatulas has exploded into a full-blown scandal. Cake-Gate now reaches to the heart of Newham’s Labour administration.
A national Gujarati community organisation has joined the backlash, accusing Newham Council of “disproportionate, culturally insensitive and economically destructive” behaviour after it pursued home baker Fatima Yusuf for allegedly running a kitchen business without planning consent.
The story has grown far beyond Forest Gate. It’s no longer about cake — it’s about a council that’s lost its common sense, a Mayor that’s out of touch and a borough that’s lost patience.
“Cake, Council and Conflict of Interest”
In a blistering statement, the Bharuchi Vohra UK Association (BVUK) said it was “deeply troubled” that a widow and her daughter could face enforcement action for baking from home while “serious issues of housing, crime and waste go unaddressed.”
“Our community prizes self-reliance and dignity of labour,” the statement reads. “Punishing a woman for enterprise while ignoring genuine misconduct is an insult to hardworking residents.”
The Association called on the Council to investigate conflicts of interest and to reaffirm that officers act independently of political influence — a pointed reference to allegations involving Cllr Mariam Dawood and her father Sayad Dawood, a property developer who both live next door to the Yusufs.
Below is the statement issued by BVUK
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Bharuchi Vahora UK Association (BVUK) Stands with Sister Fatima Yusuf and Calls for Justice and Common Sense from Newham Council.
The Bharuchi Vahora UK Association (BVUK), a community organisation dedicated to supporting and uplifting our members, issues its full and unwavering support for our sister, Fatima Yusuf, a respected member of our community and the home baker behind "The Bakeress" in Newham.
Fatima’s story—a single woman creating a humble livelihood (Rizq) from her home kitchen to support herself and her mother—resonates deeply with our community's values of hard work, enterprise and family responsibility. For over thirteen years, her business has been a testament to her dedication. To have it threatened by an enforcement notice from Newham Council is not just a legal issue; it is a profound injustice that strikes at the heart of a family's sustenance.
Our community understands the importance of adhering to the law, but we also believe in fairness and common sense. In this case, the law itself is on Fatima's side.
1. The "10-Year Rule" and Her Legal Right to Operate:
Under UK planning law (Section 171B of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990), a business that has operated openly for ten years becomes immune from enforcement. Fatima’s business, established in 2010, has been a quiet, peaceful part of her neighbourhood for over thirteen years. She is not asking for a special favour, but for the legal right she has already earned—the right to a Lawful Development Certificate.
2. The Voice of Her Neighbours, Muslim and Non-Muslim Alike:
The council’s claim of "unacceptable harm" is not only unproven but is also directly refuted by the very community in which she lives. The signed support of 16 neighbours, including her immediate next-door neighbour, is a powerful testament to the fact that her business is a welcome and unobtrusive part of the neighbourhood. This collective voice must carry more weight than a single, unsubstantiated complaint.
3. A Test of Community and Policy:
This case is a test. It tests whether our institutions will support the small, home-grown enterprises that form the backbone of our modern economy, especially those run by women from minority communities. Forcing Fatima to close would not only destroy her livelihood but would also send a chilling message to other aspiring entrepreneurs in our community and beyond.
Our Call to Newham Council:
On behalf of our community and in the spirit of justice and fairness, we respectfully urge Newham Council to:
· Immediately withdraw the enforcement notice against Fatima Yusuf.
· Formally guide and assist her in securing the Lawful Development Certificate that confirms her legal right to continue her business.
· Recognise the importance of home-based micro-businesses and create a supportive, clear framework that allows them to thrive without fear.
The Bharuchi Vahora UK Association stands firmly with Sister Fatima. We believe in her integrity, her hard work and her legal right to provide for her family. We are committed to supporting her through this challenge and are ready to engage with Newham Council to find a swift and fair resolution that upholds both the law and the principles of community harmony.
— END —
About The Bharuchi Vahora UK Association (BVUK):
The Bharuchi Vahora UK Association (BVUK) is a community organisation representing the interests and values of the Bharuchi Vahora community in the United Kingdom. We are dedicated to fostering unity, preserving our heritage and supporting the well-being and success of our members in British society.
For media enquiries, please contact:
[BVUK Press Office]
The Dawood Allegations
A formal complaint filed in July 2025 accused the Dawoods of using their political influence to trigger enforcement action against the Yusuf family.
If true, the allegations would represent clear breaches of the Nolan Principles and possible misuse of public office. Neither Cllr Dawood nor her father Sayad Dawood have issued any public comment. The Council has also declined to explain how enforcement priorities were determined. The scandal extends to ward colleague Labour Cllr Salim Patel, though he has not been formally implicated.
The Council that Forgot Common Sense
Across East London, disbelief has turned to anger. Locals point to a pattern of aggressive enforcement against small traders even as the borough struggles with fly-tipping, failing finances and vacant high streets.
“It’s as if the Council is allergic to aspiration,” said one local shopkeeper. “They chase bakers and barbers but roll out the red carpet for developers.”
Critics say Mayor Roksana Fiaz’s administration has become openly hostile to enterprise, favouring bureaucracy over business. In a borough where hundreds rely on home-based ventures to survive, residents describe the Mayor’s approach as anti-business, anti-community and anti-common sense.
Political Fallout: Silence from the Top
Inside Labour ranks, the mood is grim. One councillor described Cake-Gate as “a self-inflicted wound that exposes how out of touch the leadership has become.”
Despite the damaging headlines, Mayor Fiaz has issued no public statement on the scandal. The longer the silence stretches, the more the perception grows that her administration is too defensive, too bureaucratic, and too detached.
Community Resonance
Cake-Gate has become emblematic of a deeper issue: how local government treats self-employed families trying to make a living.
“We built livelihoods from our kitchens and workshops,” said one community leader. “When power is used to punish that spirit, it’s not governance, it’s arrogance.” Another resident, quipped “How can a Councillor do this to their own neighbour? It reeks of a misuse of power.”
Cake-Gate Scandal
Cake-Gate is no longer a local embarrassment. It is a test of whether Newham will stand for fairness or favouritism.
The Council’s actions have sent a chilling message across the borough, one that says hard work and initiative will be met, not with support, but with enforcement.
As the political fallout deepens, one truth is now clear: Newham under Roksana Fiaz has become one of the most anti-business administrations in London. The next Mayor, whoever they are, must prove that Newham can change, that it can once again become a borough where enterprise is celebrated, not crushed under bureaucracy.
But for now Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz’s bungled handling of cake-gate continues to damage The Labour Party with the Newham Independents hard on their heels, waiting to capitalise.