Making sure no-one’s listening in
The mayor is famously intolerant of dissent, to the point of paranoia, and it seems that this has now infected those around him.
At the end of a budget briefing session last night at Newham Dockside Unmesh Desai decided to hold a briefing of his own, not on council business but on his campaign to be the Labour candidate for City & East in next year’s London elections.
He asked council officers to leave and then noticed a 17-year old ‘A’ level student who had been shadowing a councillor for the day, getting an insight into how local government works. He insisted she leave as well.
He then said he didn’t want any non-supporters in the room. So three councillors walked out, along with the bemused teenager.
Not exactly a great introduction to local politics, but a perfect illustration of how Newham Labour party works.
Not just the paranoia but the use of council property for party business. The “Desai 4 City & East” campaign should be getting a bill for the room, although history suggests they won’t.
forestgatedotnet 
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