Published: Tuesday, 13th May, 2008 12:00pm

Labour Party suspends councillor

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Pervez Choudhry: At the centre of the controversy

SLOUGH'S Labour Party has announced this afternoon (Tuesday) that it has suspended the Slough Borough councillor for the Central ward, Pervez Choudhry, who pledged his allegience to the Conservatives yesterday (Monday).

Leader of Slough Labour group, Cllr Rob Anderson said: "The Labour Party has initiated procedures to expel Pervez Choudhry because he has acted against the wishes of the majority of Slough Labour group, pursued his own agenda and has betrayed the 1,214 people who elected him as a Labour councillor only 12 days ago.

"We have received no written confirmation from Cllr Choudhry that he wished to leave the Labour Party."

Deputy leader of Slough Labour group, Cllr James Swindlehurst, said: "Cllr Choudhry fought his election on a Labour ticket at the beginning of this month. If he has any honour or integrity he would step down and fight a by-election. He has betrayed the people of Central to pursue his own selfish ends."

Cllr Anderson also denied Cllr Choudhry's claims, exclusively revealed by the Observer's website yesterday (Monday), that 15 councillors had voted for him to replace Cllr Anderson as group leader.

Cllr Choudhry was one of three Labour councillors to move to the Conservatives. Farnham councillor Sukhjit Dhaliwal and Chalvey councillor Mohammed Rasib have since returned to Labour ranks. At present Labour have 22 councillors and the opposition has 19.

For a full round-up see Friday's Observer. For breaking news see www.sloughobserver.co.uk