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The cabinet minister in charge of local government has said he is “appalled” that serving London councillors are campaigning to become MPs in another country. Communities Secretary Steve Reed has written to Tower Hamlets Council after it was revealed by the Standard that at least two of the borough’s elected representatives had launched campaigns to stand in upcoming elections in Bangladesh. Residents in Mile End have called on Sabina Khan to resign after she announced she was standing for the Bangladesh National Party (BNP) in polls in February. Ms Khan was elected as a Labour councillor in Mile End in 2022 but defected to the borough’s ruling Aspire party last year. She has missed more than half of the meetings she was due to attend in east London this year due to being out of the country. Mr Reed said it was particularly concerning because Government envoys were sent into Tower Hamlets Council last year over concerns about parties leadership, governance and culture. In a letter to the town hall, he said: “I am appalled that any councillor elected by local people to serve their interests would even consider abandoning that commitment to campaign in another country. “That journey requires a dedicated and fully engaged political leadership to grip and deliver the necessary change. “I would urge you to do all you can to stop this situation and remind all councillors in the borough that their focus needs to be on helping the people of Tower Hamlets.” Independent councillor Ohid Ahmed, who represents Lansbury ward in Poplar, is also campaigning to become a BNP candidate. On his social media, he has posted about Bangladesh’s economy, education for women and potholes blighting the country’s roads. Mr Ahmed was first elected as a Labour councillor in 2002 before defecting to joined Lutfur Rahman’s party and being elected for Tower Hamlets First in 2014 and then Aspire in 2022. He left the party last year, becoming an independent councillor and has said he will not stand in the local elections in 2026. At least one other Tower Hamlets councillor has indicated their ambition to run in the upcoming Bangladesh elections, which will be the first polls in the country since deadly protests toppled former Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina, in August 2024. Tower Hamlets Council has said the law “does not automatically disqualify” a person from being a councillor in the UK “solely because they are running for or hold an elected office in another country”. Ms Khan and Mr Ahmed have both indicted they will step down if they are elected in Bangladesh. Local elections are due to be held in London in May next year. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government said: “This behaviour is unacceptable. “We are clear that councillors must be able to effectively serve the constituents who elected them. “All councillors must uphold the Nolan principles including integrity, objectivity, accountability.”
