Labour’s Poisoned Chalice: Will Thursday’s Vote End the Fiaz Era – or Seal Labour’s Fate in 2026?

In a twist that would be hard to script even in Newham politics, it appears that Mayor Rokhsana Fiaz has become such a liability that the Labour Party is now whipping its own councillors to vote in favour of the Abi Gbago settlement deal — the very deal that would draw a dramatic curtain on Fiaz’s chaotic tenure.

Yes, you read that correctly.

If true, this would mean that Labour’s national machine is so desperate to end the Fiaz era that they are willing to risk losing the trust of Newham voters at the 2026 local elections — just to get it over with.

It’s a remarkable development when you consider that Abi Gbago isn’t some legacy hire from a past administration. Gbago was a Fiaz loyalist, hand-picked for the Chief Executive job from what many at the time admitted was a slim pool of candidates. Her tenure and her pay packet are, in every meaningful way, a Fiaz project.

So why the sudden urge to sweep it all under the carpet?

Because Labour knows the saga of Fiaz vs Gbago has become a never-ending embarrassment — and Thursday’s vote could be the broom they’ve been praying for. But make no mistake, if councillors vote Yes, this won’t just be Fiaz’s mess anymore. It becomes Labour’s mess — and one that could stain the entire party in Newham for years to come.

At the moment, this is one person’s drama. It’s the Mayor’s fallout, the Mayor’s poor judgment, and the Mayor’s responsibility. But a Yes vote changes everything. It turns a personal feud into a collective liability — just in time for the long road to the 2026 elections.

And that raises the inevitable question: who on earth would want to be Labour’s next candidate for Mayor in Newham? Whoever it is, they’ll have to defend this eye-watering payout — reportedly in the hundreds of thousands — to a departing CEO who was essentially told to keep quiet and walk away.

Newhams Departing CEO - Abi Gbago

Electoral gold dust for the Newham Independents, wouldn’t you say?

The leaflets write themselves:

 "Labour slashed your youth services but found the cash to silence the CEO."

“Labour Slashed the support for elderly care packages …..”

“Labour cut terms and conditions for school dinner staff….”

“Labour put up council tax by 8%....”

Get the picture now? It will be a barrage of all the ills of the Borough vs that one fateful decision that Labour seem determined to make. 

Councillors who go along with this deal now may find themselves facing angry residents later. What will they say when asked about it on the doorstep?

“The Labour Party made me do it”?

That simply won’t wash. Not in a borough where people are fed up with spin, secrecy, and self-preservation at the top.

If Newham Labour councillors vote this through on Thursday, they may well be voting to hand over 5 or 6 more council seats to opposition parties — and potentially the Mayoralty itself — in 2026.

The only clear winners? Not Mayor Fiaz. Not the Labour Party. But the Newham Independents.

Could we see Mayor Mehmood Mirza in May 2026?

And perhaps, in a strange way, the people of Newham — who are watching it all unfold with clear eyes, and sharper memories than Labour might like to believe.