The Manchester Labour party has hit back furiously at claims that a high profile Muslim councillor was sacked for allegedly being out spoken. Instead they have raised concerns that she has a very poor campaigning and attendance record, the Manchester Evening News has reported.
Council leader Sir Richard Leese has waded into the row over the treatment of Councillor Amina Lone of British Pakistani origin, pointing out she allegedly failed to attend key council meetings last year for nearly six months. This has sparked an extraordinary public row, and made national headlines.
Cllr Lone was barred from standing in next year’s local elections by the city party in March, following an interview with a panel of Labour figures.
Despite his previous letter of support for Cll Amina Lone, council leader Sir Richard Leese - in a joint statement with chief whip Suzanne Richards - has reportedly said that the Manchester Labour group had had to ‘report an extremely poor campaigning record and an attendance at official council meetings so bad that it almost led to a by-election’.
Cllr Lone had appealed the decision and lost, later saying that she believed ‘ambitious’ figures within the party had pushed her out for being ‘outspoken’.
However city party chair Linda Priest has now also reportedly issued a statement in response including information she said was ‘inaccurate and misleading’.
