Rochdale council leadership kept sexual harassment complaint against mayor quiet

The Labour leadership of a Greater Manchester council sat on a complaint of sexual harassment against its mayor who went on to secure an influential new role.

The Sunday Telegraph can disclose that allegations of inappropriate conduct towards a woman were made against Ali Ahmed in February, while he was the sitting Mayor of Rochdale, but kept from his colleagues and the wider public.

It enabled Labour to contest the closely-fought local elections free from the taint of scandal, and Mr Ahmed to complete his mayoral term last month free from scrutiny.

He went on to secure the chairmanship of a powerful committee guiding a swathe of local policy making.

It is the second such controversy in a week to rock the party in the North West after this newspaper revealed that Shakil Ahmed, the incoming deputy mayor, is also the subject of a harassment complaint.

‘It’s becoming a joke’

It comes days after Sir Keir Starmer was forced to address the fallout of numerous sexual misconduct cases across the national party.

Labour insiders in Rochdale were this week furious at Neil Emmott, the leader of the borough council, for his handling of the cases, with one accusing him of running a “boys’ club” and “putting reputations first”.

“It’s becoming a joke,” said one source. “No one is thinking of the victims, only how things will look if they get out.”

Instances of alleged sexual misconduct are particularly sensitive in the borough, given its history as the scene of one of Britain’s most notorious abuse scandals.

Ali Ahmed’s term as Mayor ended at the council’s annual general meeting on May 17, to the plaudits of colleagues.

On the same night he was awarded the chairmanship of the Rochdale North Township Committee.

However, at the AGM of the local Labour Party, which took place just before, no mention of the complaint against him was made.

Mr Emmott was already fighting off a rebellion by disaffected Labour councillors who were disgusted at being asked to vote for Shakil Ahmed for deputy mayor -  a position that normally automatically leads to the full mayoralty after a year - after details of the complaint against him had begun to circulate.

Despite a boycott, however, he was elected in an uncontested vote.

Complaint ‘withdrawn’

When The Telegraph contacted Ali Ahmed on Tuesday, he refused to comment.

A spokesman for Labour in Rochdale said there was no complaint outstanding against the former mayor because it had been “withdrawn”.

A source familiar with the matter said: “She felt stressed. There was a complete lack of support, so she withdrew.”

Only this week Sir Keir urged anyone with allegations of sexual harassment against Labour politicians to “come forward”.

It followed the suspension of the MP Geraint Davies after it was reported that he allegedly subjected five younger female colleagues to unwanted sexual attention. Mr Davies denies the accusations.

A review of Labour’s internal processes had already been ordered by General Secretary David Evans.

In a leaked email to Mr Emmott ahead of the May 17 Rochdale AGM, colleagues implored him not to propose Shakil Ahmed for deputy mayor, warning that doing so could send a “terrible message” to women and victims of abuse.

Sources accused the leadership of delaying the start of the formal investigation into Shakil Ahmed until after the local elections, despite the complaint first being made in February.

As mayor of Rochdale, one of Ali Ahmed’s final acts was to visit care homes in the borough with a book of condolence for Queen Elizabeth II for residents to sign.

Mr Emmott and Shakil Ahmed declined to comment when approached by The Telegraph.