Calls for city councillor to be expelled

Senior reporter

Monday 22 October 2012

PRESSURE is growing for a Labour councillor to be expelled from the party after he was allegedly caught using a blue badge belonging to a relative to access a disabled parking space.

SOHAN SINGH: Accused of using relative's disabled parking permit.

Custom byline text:

GERRY BRAIDEN

Sohan Singh, a prominent businessman elected to Glasgow City Council earlier this year and already stripped of a ceremonial role, will be interviewed by party enforcers tomorrow after his second brush with the authorities in a week.

Mr Singh was representing Glasgow at the Strathclyde Fire Board at South Lanarkshire Council in Hamilton when he was spotted using the disabled bay, to the fury of his boss, city council leader Gordon Matheson.He is understood to have told colleagues that the blue badge belonged to a niece. Fraudulent use of the badge can carry a penalty of up to £1000.Just last weekend, The Herald revealed how Mr Singh's hotel, the Lorne in Glasgow's west end, had been sanctioned amid a variety of breaches of alcohol laws and claims of hampering police investigations, while it also emerged his manager had recently had his assets frozen under proceeds of crime laws.And just after his election in May it came to light that he had been operating illegally as a landlord in flats he had bought from the council for just £1.Sources within the Labour administration said that, while the party has procedures to adhere to, they expect "serious action" as the city's leadership is "not at all happy".But despite promises of a "thorough investigation", opposition politicians on the council have called for Mr Singh's removal from frontline politics.SNP group leader Graeme Hendry said: "Since being approved as a Labour candidate Mr Singh has shown himself to have little regard for licensing laws in terms of housing and the sale of alcohol as well as showing a contempt for the disabled by abusing the blue badge scheme. "Surely he has now reached the end of the line with the Labour party and Mr Matheson will move to have him expelled from the Labour Group. If not, the public will wonder just what Labour regard as their so called A Team."Tory councillor David Meikle added: "It seems every week there is a scandal involving Sohan Singh and people are now rightly demanding that Labour take action against him. If they don't, they will be right to wonder who or what is protecting him." The Herald is aware of councillors from across the political spectrum having received letters from constituents expressing "disgust" that Mr Singh has not been asked to resign.Just weeks after being elected, Mr Singh stood down as a city bailie – a ceremonial role which could have seen him stand in for the Lord Provost at official engagements – when it emerged that while a candidate for Glasgow North East he operated illegally as a landlord.He failed to register in a mandatory scheme, despite the council leader warning "rogue landlords" would be fined £50,000.During last week's licensing board meeting it also emerged that Mr Singh was employing the man from whom he had bought the hotel for around £7.5 million, who had his assets frozen following the deal.Archie Sharif sold the hotel to Mr Singh at a loss of about £4m last year but was apprehended by HMRC after he attempted to move money from the sale to a bank in Pakistan.Mr Singh himself faces a court sequestration action in December over a £100,000 loan and could have his political career halted if he is made bankrupt.A Labour group spokesman said: "Abuse of blue badges is an extremely serious matter and the council's business manager will carry out a thorough investigation into these allegations."

Contextual targeting label:

Local government

Commenting & Moderation

We moderate all comments on HeraldScotland on either a pre-moderated or post-moderated basis. If you're a relatively new user then your comments will be reviewed before publication and if we know you well then your comments will be subject to moderation only if other users or the moderators believe you've broken the rules, which are available here.

Moderation is undertaken full-time 9am-6pm on weekdays, and on a part-time basis outwith those hours. Please be patient if your posts are not approved instantly.

Calls for city councillor to be expelled

Commenting & Moderation

MOST READ

SPONSORED LINKS

MOST COMMENTED