Thursday, August 30, 2007

Another One Bites The Dust

When it's not Lib Dem vote fraud in Lancashire, it's benefit fraud :

A councillor has been told he faces jail after admitting a £3,000 benefit fraud. Shear Brow councillor Arif Waghat of Buncer Lane, Blackburn, admitted two offences of allowing or causing his wife Safia Umerji to make false income support and council tax benefit claims. After the hearing, Waghat resigned from the local Liberal Democrat party of which he was deputy leader. If he was to receive a three-month prison sentence or more at the next hearing, he would be disqualified from standing as a councillor under the council's Code of Conduct.

This is the bit I like :

After the case, leader of the Liberal Democrat group Coun David Foster confirmed Waghat had resigned from their party. When asked if Waghat should remain a councillor he said: "It is his decision. I'm sorry he's had to resign from the group but I respect the integrity he has shown in doing that."

The comments are interesting too. Apparently he worked as a benefits adviser for many years. And the mealy-mouthed response of the Tory, and the condemnation from Labour, are all explained when you look at the balance of power on Blackburn Council.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Arif Waghat & Safia Umerji names redolent of solid yeoman British stock.