They say a leopard can’t change his spots, but this Tory hopeful changed his not once but twice in the space of four years.

Afzal Akram is making a sensational return as Tory candidate in the upcoming William Morris by-election after leaving the Labour party in disgrace and joining Ukip the following year.

Tomorrow’s by-election was triggered by the sudden death of Councillor Nadeem Ali last month.

Running against Mr Akram, whose election leaflets say he is “born and bread (sic)” in Walthamstow, is Labour’s Umar Ali, the late Cllr Ali’s brother, and Rebecca Tully for the Greens.

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In 2013, Waltham Forest council found Mr Akram guilty of trying to fix a controversial planning application by influencing a member of the planning committee.

In a text message to Labour colleague Cllr Karen Bellamy, over plans to convert Leytonstone's Colgrave Arms pub into a mosque, he said: "I hope you are going to support this one".

The bid was subsequently approved, but the chair of the planning committee, Cllr Peter Barnett, made a formal complaint about the ex-councillor’s conduct.

A disciplinary panel found him guilty of trying to influence the decision and the Labour party banned him from sitting on committees for six months. He left the council soon after.

A year later in October, 2014, Mr Akram, who backed Brexit, was surprisingly elected as the new Ukip chairman in Ealing, in west London, after reportedly becoming “disenchanted” with the Labour party.

East London and West Essex Guardian Series: Cllr Afzal Akram

Afzal Akram was a Labour councillor for eight years

He said he went over to Ukip to “support the Brexit campaign” but left on the day the party released its integration agenda, which he found “very racist”.

Mr Akram joined the Tories for the by-election and said his political switcheroo has not come up once on the doorstep.

He added: “The residents are not concerned, all they want is somebody who is going to represent them well and look out for them.”

On the campaign trail in Walthamstow, Mr Akram’s spelling has raised a few laughs on social media after his election leaflet suggests his was “born and bread (sic)” in Walthamstow.

Mr Akram said it was good to see the community talking about his credentials, but that it was a “genuine mistake”.

He added: “I’m not applying to be a teacher or a spellchecker, I’m a politician applying for a job.

“It doesn’t change the fact I’m an experienced councillor with a good track record of delivering for my residents.”

When Mr Akram isn’t running to be a councillor, the CEO at Smile Group Of Businesses, promotes a type of coffee which claims to help with weight loss among various other benefits.

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In a Facebook post, he wrote: “You have what it takes to make your partner happy.

“Your greatest strengths are your beauty and your electrifying aura.

“Whoever ends up winning your heart will be a lucky lucky person!”

Polls open tomorrow at 7am and close at 10pm. The results are expected by midnight.