I’ll try and find time over the weekend to update everyone on some of the fascinating developments from the behind-closed-doors session of the full council on Wednesday night (Stephen Halsey is now the most senior council officer and the search continues for a chief executive; the East London Advertiser has the basic story here).
But for the time-being and for the record, I should point out that Labour councillor Kosru Uddin, who was arrested over alleged threats to kill Lutfurite Rania Khan at a council meeting in May, has been cleared by the police.
The ELA reports here that Labour Cllr Motin uz-Zaman has accused the police of “abusing their powers” after they went to Kosru’s home at 3am to arrest him over the incident.
Here’s what Motin said at a press conference yesterday, according to the ELA.
“Just because of an accusation, the police going into someone’s home waking them and their children up to ask questions is totally unacceptable.
“Those children will always remember that incident of the police coming in the night.
“It’s an abuse of power. He was not arrested at the Town Hall, but at his home at 3am.”
If those facts are accurate, the police do seem to have a case to answer.
Meanwhile, here is Labour’s press release on the matter in which Kosru says politics is a “cut-throat” business–a slightly unfortunate phrase, perhaps…
Labour Tower Hamlets Councillor Kosru Uddin has been cleared by the police of all allegations regarding his conduct at a Council meeting in May.
Uddin, who was accused by independent cabinet member Rania Khan of threatening violence, was told that there was no case to answer and that police would not be pursuing the matter further.
Cllr Kosru Uddin said: “This week I was officially informed by the police that they believed that there was no case to answer and therefore would not be pressing charges.
“Whilst I do not want to comment on my accuser’s motives or actions I have been clear from the start that I was innocent and I am glad that the justice system has now put that beyond doubt.
“The last few months have been extremely hard for both me and my family. I would like to thank my Labour colleagues who have stuck by me throughout this hard time. Politics is often described as a cut-throat and malicious business but I am privileged to have my fellow Labour councillors not only as colleagues but as friends.
“The residents of Mile End East elected me to stand up for them in a time of great change and uncertainty. I take that role very seriously and I am very much looking forward to putting this unpleasant matter behind me and focusing on standing up for my constituents.”
Labour Group Leader Joshua Peck said: “The Labour Party takes any allegation against a Labour councillor extremely seriously. We expect the highest standards from our councillors and we cooperated fully with the police investigation. I am pleased that councillor Khan’s allegation has been thrown out as I always knew it would be and I am glad that this difficult period for Kosru and his family is over.
“This allegation was just the latest in a number of unfounded allegations made against Labour councillors by independent councillors. I would urge them to stick to trying to win the political argument rather than trying to destroy their opponents with these baseless claims.”
Trial by Jeory 