By: Pramod Thomas
THE Labour leadership of Rochdale council withheld a sexual harassment complaint against its mayor, who subsequently obtained a powerful position, the Sunday Telegraph reported.
In February, while serving as the mayor of Rochdale, Ali Ahmed, faced allegations of inappropriate conduct towards a woman. However, these allegations were deliberately kept from his colleagues and the general public, the report alleged.
Ignoring the report allowed the Labour party to participate in the closely-contested local elections without anyscandal. Also, Ahmed completed his mayoral term without facing scrutiny last month.
Subsequently, he successfully obtained the chairmanship of a influential committee responsible for a swathe of local policy making, the Telegraph report added.
Earlier, the newspaper reported that the incoming deputy mayor, Shakil Ahmed, is also the subject of a harassment complaint.
Recently, Sir Keir Starmer was forced to address the fallout of numerous sexual misconduct cases across Labour.
The newspaper revealed that Labour insiders in Rochdale expressed their angertowards the leader of the borough council, Neil Emmott, for his handling of the cases.
One insider accused him of prioritising reputations and fostering a culture reminiscent of a ‘boys’ club’.
The focus, according to a source, seems to be more on how things will appear if the information becomes public, rather than on the well-being of the victims.
Ahmed’s tenure as mayor concluded at the council’s annual general meeting on May 17. He was immediately appointed as the chairman of the Rochdale north township committee.
However, during the local Labour party’s AGM that preceded the meeting, there was no mention of the complaint against him.
Earlier, Emmott faced opposition for nominating Shakil for the deputy mayor position, which typically leads to assuming the full mayoralty after a year, after details of the complaint against him emerged.
Despite a boycott, he was elected uncontested.
A spokesperson for Labour in Rochdale stated that there were no outstanding complaints against the former mayor, as it had been ‘withdrawn’.
According to a source familiar with the matter, the victim felt stressed and lacked support, leading to the withdrawal.
Just recently, Sir Keir urged individuals with allegations of sexual harassment against Labour politicians to come forward.
This call came after the suspension of MP Geraint Davies following reports of alleged unwanted sexual attention towards five younger female colleagues. Davies denies these allegations. General secretary David Evans had already ordered a review of Labour’s internal processes.
In an email leaked prior to the Rochdale AGM, colleagues urged Emmott not to propose Shakil for the position, warning of the negative message it could send to women and abuse victims.
Sources accused the leadership of delaying the initiation of a formal investigation into Shakil until after the local elections, despite the complaint being filed in February, the report added.
Ahmed, Emmott and Shakil have declined to comment when approached by The Telegraph.
