Tower Hamlets Labour Group expels five councillors

Robin de Peyer Wednesday, July 4, 2012
3:38 PM

Five councillors have been expelled from the Tower Hamlets Labour Group, following claims they campaigned against the party during April’s Spitalfields by-election.

The councillors, Kabir Ahmed, Rofique Ahmed, Shahed Ali, Abdul Asad and Shafiqul Haque, were all found to be in breach of Labour party guidelines, which prohibit members from campaigning against the party or actively supporting opposition politicians or groups.

The Labour Group also reprimanded the councillors for their continued membership of Tower Hamlets Mayor Lutfur Rahman’s cabinet.

Group leader, councillor Joshua Peck, said: “The five expelled councillors have consistently voted and campaigned against the Labour Party. Whilst it is sad that it has had to come to this, these five councillors made their choice and now have to deal with the consequences.

“I hope that this decision will draw a line under the problems of the past and allow us to focus on the important job of holding the independent Mayor to account and battling the Coalition’s cuts regime.”