A councillor who ‘did not realise’ she had to reveal that some of her relatives were fraudsters in the run-up to last year’s local elections has escaped being thrown out of the Labour Party.
Cllr Asma Rathore, of Selbourne Road, Luton, should have told the party that her cousin is illegal immigrant Ashar Ali Rathore, who along with his wife was deported last year for organising sham marriages in a bid to stay in the UK.
Cllr Rathore, who represents Saints ward on Luton Borough Council, also did not mention that she is the sister of Shagufta Siddique who, along with her husband Ahmed Siddique, was in 2009 convicted of obtaining more than £160,000 through fraudulent activities.
The revelations only came to light following a Luton on Sunday investigation last month, and on Monday Cllr Rathore attended a Labour Party meeting to explain her reason for not disclosing her family members’ crimes during their candidate selection process.
Labour Party organiser Francis Steer said: “Cllr Rathore was asked in detail about the revelations uncovered by Luton on Sunday and we were satisfied that none of the criminal activity related to Cllr Rathore herself. Cllr Rathore was aware of the criminal activity and convictions of her sister and other family members when she applied to the panel of approved Labour Party candidates.
“All potential candidates are asked if they have any issues that might embarrass them or the Labour Party – ‘skeletons in the closet’ as it is commonly known.
“Cllr Rathore signed a declaration that there were no such issues because she thought the question only related to her personally and not to members of her close family.”
Cllr Rathore (pictured) said: “I would like to take this opportunity to condemn the criminal activities of some of my family members.”
