Lambeth Labour takes the safety of residents, staff and councillors with the utmost seriousness.
Following notification from the police of Councillor Irfan Mohammed’s arrest and subsequent criminal charges, he was immediately suspended from Labour Group and removed from all council positions and committees. He was also suspended by the national Labour Party in line with party processes. He became an Independent councillor.
These swift actions were taken to prioritise safeguarding and ensure the Council acted lawfully and responsibly whilst criminal proceedings are ongoing. The council’s position was communicated to Councillor Mohammed following his release from custody, that the situation presented a safeguarding issue, so he should not hold surgeries or do casework. It was agreed that Cllr Mohammed would not enter any council building and that he would not attend Full Council on 15th October.
It is therefore profoundly disappointing that members of the Green Party and Liberal Democrats have chosen to circulate false and misleading claims about Lambeth Council’s response and made totally unfounded allegations about Lambeth Labour councillors.
The Leader of the Lambeth Green Party, Councillor Scott Ainslie, contacted council officers directly, without the knowledge or input of Lambeth Labour, asking whether Cllr Mohammed should be put on a committee now he is an Independent as part of the allocation of seats.
Councillor Ainslie did not consult with Lambeth Labour. Had he done so, Lambeth Labour would have questioned why Cllr Ainslie wished to re-open this matter given the clear and decisive action previously taken of removing Cllr Mohammed from all council committees. We would have reiterated our position that it is not appropriate for Cllr Mohammed to sit on any committees.
On legal advice that the Independent councillor should be included in allocation of seats, the council communicated this decision to Cllr Ainslie and, given the Green Party seems to have declined sitting on Investigations Committee, appear to have allocated him to that specific committee. The Investigations Committee is convened when the circumstances require.
In addition, Lambeth Labour has consistently made our view clear that Cllr Mohammed should not attend Full Council meetings and indeed Cllr Mohammed agreed in August not to attend Full Council today,15th October. The press releases of both the Lambeth Green Party and Lambeth Lib Dems are therefore inaccurate and offer no evidence whatsoever for their outlandish claims. In fact, the opposite is true and they are therefore misrepresenting facts.
It is deeply disturbing that the Greens and Lib Dems are politicising and weaponizing such serious allegations and the issue of violence affecting women and girls.
Lambeth Labour will pursue all avenues to remove Cllr Mohammed from the committees for a second time, since we do not consider it appropriate he should sit on a committee whilst subject to serious charges and criminal proceedings.
We will continue to act decisively and in the best interests of residents.