Ayoub Khan Exclusive

“GOD WILL NOT LET ME BE TAKEN DOWN"

27-07-2009

Birmingham’s under pressure Cabinet member Ayoub Khan has vowed to fight on to prove his innocence after a High Court ruling last week jeopardised his political career and brought his livelihood into question. He says God will vindicate him because he has told the truth.

Two judges rejected calls for a judicial review into claims by the Elections Commissioner Timothy Straker that the Aston councillor invented “sordid” allegations about supporters of his Labour rival Mohammed Afzal in 2007.

The Labour Party has now called on national Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg to sack Khan – thus denying him the chance to stand as parliamentary candidate in Ladywood.

He also faces a complaint to the Bar Council by Afzal, which could destroy his career as a barrister.

With the stakes so high, the Cabinet Member for Local Services and Community Safety is, not surprisingly, refusing to give in without a fight.

His problem dates back to an election court hearing last year brought by his Lib Dem colleague Saeed Ahmed.

During the course of the trial, Khan, who spoke as a witness, claimed that a black Range Rover owned by Lib Dem supporter was burned out by his political opponents - one of several allegations Straker described as “scurrilous and unwarranted”.

During a 90 minute interview with The Stirrer on Saturday night, Khan said he was “confused” to have had his reputation called into question when the verdict was delivered.

“I’ve been treated as a party to the case, not as a witness. My job was to answer questions, I was neither a petitioner nor a respondent,” he says.

It is this key distinction which could yet form the basis of a further High Court appeal, although Khan acknowledges that the prospect of legal fees running into thousands of pounds could act as a deterrent.

Lawyers for both sides in the dispute have until now been acting “pro bono”, but there’s no guarantee this will continue into a further hearing – laying him open to bills of up to £30,000.

Khan, though, is adamant, that he has been misrepresented by Straker - and that key evidence was misunderstood at the recent High Court hearing.

He says that an error in transcription made it look as though his allegations against Afzal's supporters were given undue weight.

In reality, he says he was just saying "yes" and "no" to the questions posed, but was misinterpreted because of how the first hearing was recorded.

If the legal route fails, his next hope is that the Bar Standards Council will accede to Afzal’s request for a full hearing – allowing for all the evidence to be heard again.

Khan points out that unlike a number of other witnesses who made no oath, he swore on the Koran, and points out, “If I’d made up comments, I could get done for perjury.

“I would say if there’s going to be a disciplinary hearing, where we can call all the witnesses and hear all the evidence that would be a victory. It will be interesting to see how much of Timothy Straker’s evidence would survive.”

In the course of the conversation, Khan weaves a dark pattern of biraderi (Pakistani clan) politics playing out on the streets of Birmingham, and also hints at support for the Labour party at the heart of the judicial system.

For now at least, he feels confident about his political career, saying: “Councillor John Lines [Conservative Cabinet Member for Housing] and my Liberal Democrat councillors have all lined up behind me and shown support.

“Labour are obviously worried because they see Ladywood as a seat they could lose, but I’m not going allow [Labour group leader] Albert Bore to throw me off course.”

Khan points to Labour’s failure to discipline party members involved in previous electoral shenanigans, and insists that the truth of his own innocence will out – allowing him to maintain an impressive upward trajectory from the backstreets of Brum to the Houses of Parliament.

“I grew up in Aston, and worked hard to get where I am, whereas other people I know became drug dealers.

“My biggest concern is some of the role modelling work I do at schools and conferences will be jeopardised. People may be reluctant to invite me on the back of this sordid story.

“I think what the opposition want is for me to squeal and say my career is over.

“But deep down I know God will not let me be taken down because I have spoken the truth”.

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