Labour councillor and deputy council leader Amjad Iqbal – who once hosted a visit to Peterborough by Jeremy Corbyn – has quit to become independent. He was only re-elected as central ward councillor in May but has blamed policy differences locally for his surprise resignation.
Cllr Iqbal kept whatever concerns he had to himself – his Labour colleagues only got a phone message from him 10 minutes before his departure was made public.
Only days ago, he posted that “as deputy leader of the council, I’m really excited about several ongoing growth projects which have the potential to positively shape our city’s future for years to come, such as the Station Quarter, Fletton Quays and our new university which is already having a big impact”.
The Peterborough lawyer – who has been a city councillor since 2016 – held the key portfolio for corporate governance and finance in the Cabinet headed by council leader Dennis Jones.
Labour remains the largest group on the city council with 18 members but finding a replacement for Cllr Iqbal, who is an immigration law practitioner and director at Iqbal Law Chambers Ltd in Cromwell Road, Peterborough. His register of interests at the city council also records his ownership, with his partner, of six properties in the city.
Those mystified by his decision will be trawling a blog he posted to the city council website only a week ago.
In it he proclaimed: “I am a proud Peterborian and love championing our historic city at any given opportunity.
“The fact that we are one of the country’s fastest growing cities is something we should be proud about – people want to live, work, play and invest here and that trend is going to continue.”
Cllr Iqbal said a concern he had was that the city could provide enough and sufficient infrastructure for those wanting to move here.
https://twitter.com/docshab/status/1697966491520422282
He wrote: “Our housing standards team works tirelessly to ensure that housing across our city is up to scratch so that tenants are kept safe.
“The vast majority of landlords in the city are decent law-abiding people, but whenever the team become aware of landlords breaching the law they take appropriate action.
“This was the case with city landlord Olaseni George who was heavily fined last week for allowing a family to live in a substandard property with serious hazards including damp and mould.
Vote for the brilliant @LisaForbes_ in the Peterborough by-election pic.twitter.com/RroJXb1DiV
— Jeremy Corbyn (@jeremycorbyn) May 26, 2019
“I’m confident that this prosecution will serve as a warning to the small minority of landlords who put their tenants at risk and flout the law.
“Landlords play an essential role in providing safe, warm and healthy homes to the residents of Peterborough.
He said anyone with concerns about the safety, suitability and/or management of a rented property in the city, should contact (01733) 747474 or visit https://www.peterborough.gov.uk/residents/housing/private-housing-advice
Jeremy Corbyn visit to Peterborough
After his visit in 2019, Cllr Iqbal wrote that “it was a pleasure as Central Ward councillor to host the Rt Hon, Mr Jeremy Corbyn who took out his time to visit the Faizan E Madinah mosque, with the kind cooperation of chairman Mr Chaudhary Abdul Muqadas and the executive committee.
“Jeremy spoke warmly of the Muslim community and Islamophobia. We then initiated a walkabout on Gladstone street and met many business owners and residents.
“We ended with an auspicious Iftar meal upon the kind invitation of Cllr Shaz Nawaz-Park Ward and Mohammed Haseeb.
“Many thanks to you all for a great evening.
“I’d like to pay a special thanks to Lisa Forbes who was the highlight of the evening. Our Labour Party candidate who is a friend and sister of the Muslim community. Lisa is an excellent human being, a hardworking and honest politician who will bring change to Peterborough.
“I fully support Lisa in her Campaign and request everyone to cast your vote for our colleague Lisa in the By Election on the 6th of June.”
