REDBRIDGE: Politicians row over 'gagging' at meeting (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

REDBRIDGE: Politicians row over 'gagging' at meeting

9:48am Wednesday 21st January 2009 in Redbridge News By Daniel Binns

A POLITICAL row has broken out among Redbridge councillors after a man was banned from asking a question during a council meeting.

At a full meeting of the authority last week, Shoaib Patel, a Liberal Democrat candidate for the upcoming Valentines Ward by-election, attempted to ask a question during a slot for public speaking, but was denied the chance amid concerns over his political status.

Lib Dem politicians said they were furious that "legal advice granting permission for Mr Patel to speak was ignored", as Tory and Labour councillors voted not to let him ask his question.

Lib Dem Church End representative Richard Hoskins said he was "shocked" by the attempt to "gag" a member of the public.

He added: "It is unacceptable that the council leader should be allowed to arrogantly ride roughshod over the established rules of council procedures in this way."

But Redbridge’s Conservative group accused the Lib Dems of "political point scoring."

A spokeswoman said: "We regret that the Liberal Democrats decided to break with convention and use the council's public speaking slot for their own political purposes.

"The public speaking slot during council meetings is just that.

"It is quite unprecedented for political candidates to attempt to use this for their own purposes and neither the Conservative or Labour candidates have ever attempted to use council time in this way during an election."

The by-election for Valentines Ward, in Ilford, will be held next Thursday (January 29) following the resignation of Labour councillor Nadia Jabine Sharif last month.

Four candidates are standing in the election.

They are Abdurahman Akhtar Jafar, of Respect, Surinder Pahl, of Labour, Shoaib Patel, of the Liberal Democrats, and Ikram Wahid, of the Conservatives.

Ms Sharif left her seat in December following her marriage and move away from the borough to Cardiff.