Labour candidate uses man's name as agent 'without consent'

Ghafar Khan, is standing for Labour in the Audley and Queen’s Park ward at this year’s Blackburn with Darwen Council elections in May.

A campaign leaflet which was distributed recently by Mr Khan, a solicitor, listed in the small print that Mubeen Mulla was ‘promoting the campaign’.

Mr Mulla is the son of the former Mayor of Blackburn with Darwen, Salim Mulla.

According to the Electoral Commission, ‘some campaign material must include an imprint by law, which state who is responsible for publishing campaign material and who they’re promoting it for.’

Text showing Mubeen Mulla as promoting the leaflet (Image: NQ staff)

In a statement, former councillor Mr Mulla and his family said: “I / we have been contacted by many community members and we have been sent many posts of the leaflet with his name circled. 

“We wish to make the following statement about our son’s name, that appears on Labour Party leaflet for Queen’s Park and Audley ward, Blackburn.

“Our clarification is that my son did not agree to be Labour's agent and he was shocked to see his name to appear on these leaflets.

“He does not live in the Audley and Queen’s Park area.”

The statement says the name was used on a leaflet ‘without the consent’ of Mubeen Mulla.

It adds: “I want to clarify that I have not endorsed nor been involved in any capacity with this campaign.”

However, the statement does say: “Mubeen worked with the candidate, that does not give licence to include him on the leaflet."

Former councillor Mr Mulla resigned his Labour membership back in October following the Hamas terrorist attack on Israeli civilians and the subsequent bombardment of Gaza by Israeli forces, angry at the party's stance on the conflict.

He represented Queen's Park and Audley as a councillor and served as mayor in 2013/14.

In a statement sent on behalf of Ghafar Khan, from the local Labour Party, said Mubeen Mulla's name has now been removed from future election material.

The party said: “As is clearly stated, Mubeen Mulla’s name will no longer appear on any literature relating to the Audley and Queens Park Labour Party election campaign.

“I have not personally been contacted by Mubeen Mulla so I do not have any details of his personal circumstances. I am therefore not able to comment further.”

Salim Mulla said the family would not be endorsing any of the three main parties ahead of the local elections which will take place on Thursday, May 2.