Afzal Khan: standing up for Oldham?

Labour Councillor Afzal Khan (pictured with his daughter Maryam Khan) is being tipped as the hot favourite to succeed Phil Woolas as the party’s Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for the Oldham East and Saddleworth by-election.

The seat became vacant following Woolas’ failed High Court appeal against a decision to remove him after he was found guilty of making false statements that ‘stirred up racial and religious divisions’ at the May general election. A specially convened election court declared the May election result void and banned Woolas from standing for election for three.

Labour officials believe that they can regain the seat in a by election despite the embarrassment that surrounded Woolas’ removal.

Khan tops the list of potential replacements.

Born in poverty in Pakistan, Khan was brought to the UK aged 12, leaving school without qualifications and working in a cotton mill, then later as a GMP constable, before returning to education and qualifying as a solicitor. He is currently a senior partner in an Oldham law firm.

Afzal entered party politics in 2000 to take Cheetham ward, from the Liberal Democrats, before becoming Manchester's youngest and first Asian Lord Mayor in 2005. His ascension to Lord Mayor was widely applauded across Manchester and won over much of the local community despite opposition to Labour due to the Iraq war.

He was awarded a CBE in 2008 for services to community and interfaith relations and to local government. A groundswell of support for Khan is already growing amongst Labour voters in the north west, as well as from Labour Muslim voters keen to see a Muslim candidate in the seat.

Other potential candidates for Oldham East include local councilor Paul Foster, barrister Ben Hayhurst, and Lucy Powell, chief of staff to Labour leader Ed Miliband.

Dominic Bascombe