Painting the Titanic

It Seems that we are now required to refer to people in genderless terms. There was recently a ripple on social media  concerning the “mayor’s sibling”, who is still working as a contractor at the London Borough of Newham. Open Newham covered this some time ago.

An FoI request discovered that Faizan is not directly employed by Newham, but works as a consultant.

Whilst it would be easy to take a pop at a relative of the mayor working in Newham, he/she/or they is unlikely to be the first relative of a local politician working for the borough. And there is little doubt that the required procedures will have been followed.

What is more concerning is what he/she/they are working on.

Every reader of these pages will be aware that Newham is experiencing, what is probably the worst financial crisis in its history. Tens of millions of pounds will need to be cut from the annual budget. Yet it seems there is still enough to pursue a cultural strategy.

We noted that grants to cultural organisations had been cut whilst the mayor spent hundreds of thousands of pounds on a cultural strategy and a failed bid to become the London Borough of Culture.

We know nothing of Faizan’s work. He/she/ or they may be brilliant. But given the financial straits Newham is in, can Newham afford it? It’s as if those below deck are struggling to shore up the ship whilst the mayor spends hundreds of thousands on advertisements for the next cruise on the Titanic.