Lib Dem Councillors react to BNP Mayor snub
June 1, 2006 9:22 PM
Following the recent Mayor-making ceremony, Leeds City Councillors Kabeer Hussain and Javaid Akhtar have spoken out on behaviour of the newly elected BNP Councillor, Christopher Beverley. During the ceremony Cllr Beverley refused to vote in favour of Councillor Mohammed Iqbal being made the city's first Asian Lord Mayor. By abstaining from the election process, Cllr Beverley became the first elected member in Leeds City Council history to ask for a recorded vote, in order to show he was not part of the unanimous decision to confirm the incoming Lord Mayor.
Councillor (Kabeer Hussain, Lib Dem Hyde Park & Woodhouse) said "It is a real shame that Cllr Beverley felt it necessary to abstain from the voting process, begging the question what his agenda was for doing so. It is important to underline that the election of Lord Mayor is an apolitical ceremony and this tradition should not have been marred by an elected member wanting to score petty political points."
Cllr Javaid Akhtar
Councillor Javaid Akhtar (Lib Dem, Gipton & Harehills) added "The Lord Mayor, as an ambassador representing the citizens of Leeds and all Council employees, sits above politics. It is sad but perhaps unsurprising that Cllr Beverley chose to undo many years of tradition for a misguided attempt to make political mischief."
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