Councillor 'administratively suspended' by Labour
LDRSA councillor has been "administratively suspended" by the Labour Party pending an investigation.
Keighley Central councillor Mohsin Hussain is now listed as an independent on Bradford Council's website.
At Prime Minister's Question Time on Wednesday, Keighley MP Robbie Moore urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to block Hussain from standing for re-election because of his 2014 conviction for attacking a man.
Following Moore's comments, Hussain said: "I've come out about my past in the press before. Society is about giving people second chances, and I'm proud my community have allowed me this second chance.
"I've since gained the reputation as a hardworking councillor. Stop attacking me for something from my past. People know about it and elected me and re-elected me."
In Parliament, Moore said constituents had contacted him to express their concern that Hussain was a "sitting Labour councillor in Keighley and was recently pictured celebrating an election with convicted crack cocaine and heroin dealers".
He added: "Prime Minister, on behalf of all victims of serious crime, will you, as the leader of the Labour Party, ensure that councillor Mohsin Hussain is not permitted to stand in the local elections this May?"
Starmer responded: "I thank him for raising this. I will look into it straight away and give him a full answer."
Hussain confirmed he had been suspended to the Local Democracy Reporting Service and said he would be "happy to answer any questions" and will "continue to be honest".
When asked if he would be running in the upcoming local elections, which will take place in early May, Hussain said he had not yet made a decision.
When asked for confirmation of the suspension, a Labour spokesperson said: "These are serious allegations.
"The Labour Party takes all complaints seriously and they are fully investigated in line with our rules and procedures."
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