Tower Hamlets opposition parties demand suspended Labour councillor resigns
Councillor Mohammed Pappu has been suspended after sharing anti-Semitic posts. Picture Kois Miah - Credit: Kois Miah
Calls have been made for the resignation of a councillor who has been suspended by the Labour Party for sharing anti-Semitic posts online.
Cllr Rabina Khan is calling for Councillor Mohammed Pappu to resign. Pic: People's Alliance - Credit: PATH
Councillor Mohammed Pappu, who represents the Blackwall and Cubitt Town ward, was suspended last week by his party for sharing the posts on Facebook.
He subsequently resigned from his cabinet posts on the overview and scrutiny committee and well as vice chair of the grants scrutiny sub-committee.
However his political rivals are calling for him to resign as a councillor too.
Liberal Democrat Councillor Rabina Khan said: “Labour have failed to properly address bigotry within their party in allowing candidates with these views to stand and hold positions of responsibility within the council.
Cllr Andrew Woods is the leader of Tower Hamlets Tories. Pic: Arnaud Stephenson - Credit: photo: Arnaud Stephenson
“Our residents deserve better than this and deserve the right to elect a new councillor.”
Councillor Andrew Wood, leader of the Conservative group in Tower Hamlets, said: “That if the facts are verified I believe Cllr Pappu should resign as a councillor.
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“We believe this issue warrants a serious investigation.”
Cllr Pappu told the Advertiser he regretted sharing the posts.
He said: “I apologise unreservedly for having shared these posts.
“I regret having done so and they absolutely do not reflect my views.
“These are posts which I shared at a time when I was developing my political ideas and I accept they paint a picture of conspiracies and political perspectives that do not belong in mainstream politics.
“Tower Hamlets has a great history of standing up for minorities and I can only apologise for my past mistakes.
I am intending to receive awareness training to gain more understanding on such issues.”
A Labour party spokeswoman said: “The Labour Party takes all complaints of antisemitism extremely seriously and we are committed to challenging and campaigning against it in all its forms.
“Mohammed Pappu has been suspended from the party pending investigation.”
