An East Lancashire county councillor has given up the Green Party whip because of ‘an investigation’.
Cllr Sohail Asghar was elected to represent Accrington West and Oswaldtwistle Central division on the authority in May.
Now he has voluntarily relinquished the Green Party whip at County Hall while the investigation proceeds and is sitting on Lancashire County Council as an Independent, but remains part of the Progressive Lancashire Group opposition.
Decision taken after arrest by the police
The Local Demogracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands from multiple sources that his decision follows his arrest by the police earlier this month.
Cllr Gina Dowding – leader of the Green group on Lancashire County Council said:
Cllr Asghar has voluntarily given up the Green Party whip because there is an investigation.
This will remain the case until the investigation is completed.
Hyndburn Green Party vice-chair Joan West said:
Sohail Asghar has given up the whip at County Hall for personal reasons.
Neither would go into further details of the reasons for the self-employed private hire driver and qualified football referee’s decision.
Police investigation into modern slavery
But LDRS inquiries have discovered suggestions that Cllr Asghar took the decision to relinquish the county council whip – but not his Green Party membership – after police arrested him and two others early last month as part of an investigation into alleged ‘modern slavery’.
LDRS has made repeated attempts to contact Cllr Asghar by phone, email and Facebook without response.
A police statement said:
We have arrested three people as part of an investigation into alleged modern slavery in Accrington.
A 29-year-old man from Accrington has been arrested on slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour and common assault; a 51-year-old woman from Accrington has been arrested on slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour; and a 55-year-old man from Accrington has been arrested on slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour and making threats to kill.
The arrests were made at a property in Accrington on 6 November and all three suspects have been bailed.
Surprise and disbelief
On the Facebook page of the Lancashire Telegraph who first published the story, most of the reactions were of surprise and disbelief.
Reform Cllr Joel Tetlow says “He [Ashgar] is a very nice natured person and helps everyone he can. I wish him well and please allow the process to be carried out before jumping to conclusions.”
Many others describe Cllr Ashgar as humble, a great man, kind hearted, honest and hard working.
Most express the wish that no repercussions are taken until the police inquiry is finished, although some seem to feel the cllr. is guilty without trial.
Modern slavery
The UK government defines modern slavery as ‘ slavery, servitude, forced and compulsory labour and human trafficking. It is a heinous crime that the Government is committed to tackling; ensuring that victims are provided with the support they need to begin rebuilding their lives and that those responsible are prosecuted.’
Victims of Modern slavery are very often left with deep psychological and physical harm. Many experience PTSD, anxiety and depression.
The Centre for Social Justices explains that ‘victims are coerced or deceived into working for little or no pay, or someone else takes control of their wages or forces them to work to pay off excessive and illegitimate debts. It is often accompanied by threats and physically demanding or unsafe working conditions.’
In 2015 the Modern Slavery Act became law in the UK. The Act makes modern slavery a serious crime that can incur life sentences. The Act covers both slavery and human trafficking.
We need to respect our fellow humans
Slavery should be relegated to the history books, but instead it continues to exist across the globe. Slavery is less obvious to spot in modern times. It is however still as degrading, dehumanising and abusive as it ever has been. We should not pretend it’s gone, just because we don’t see it in plain sight.
These arrests highlight the need for continuing vigilance to protect a human being’s right to freedom. As famously said by Thomas Jefferson in 1834 (first appearing in print in 1817):
Eternal vigilance is the price we pay for liberty.
Based on an article by Local Democracy reporter Bill Jacobs.
