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A COUNCILLOR has hit back at claims he had “inside knowledge” of when polling cards were being posted after a former colleague claimed she received her polling card and his campaign leaflet on the same day.
Cllr Zamir Khan has dismissed allegations brought forward by ex-councillor Saima Afzal, who spoke out on social media suggesting Cllr Khan had “potential inside knowledge” on when polling cards were being delivered.
She claimed her polling card and his election leaflet were posted on the same day, but Cllr Khan, who is aiming to retain his Blackburn Central ward seat for Labour in May’s elections, said he had no idea about when polling cards were delivered.
Blackburn with Darwen Council also responded directly to Ms Afzal to say it has “no direct involvement in the delivery of poll cards”.
On the allegations, Cllr Khan said: “I posted the leaflet in her area on Saturday. I do not know when the polling cards go out.
“I haven’t even had my own yet. I have been leaflet posting about an hour a day every day and I posted one to her address on the Saturday – I do not know when she got her polling card.”
Ms Afzal, who previously served alongside Cllr Khan in the Blackburn Central ward, said she is adamant the leaflet and the polling card were both posted through her letterbox on Wednesday, March 30.
She added she was “at home all day on Saturday” and didn’t receive his campaign leaflet then.
Ms Afzal said: “There is no way – I have had mail since then and it definitely didn’t come through on Saturday.
“I want to be clear that I do not blame the council or the Royal Mail – I blame the councillor who I believe had inside knowledge.”
Saima has also criticised Cllr Khan for using photos of him in his mayoral robes, claiming it “compromised mayor neutrality”, however Cllr Khan hit back at this, saying his leaflet was approved by the Labour Party and the Electoral Commission.
He said: “Some people love the picture, some people don’t like it.
“I own that picture and as far as I know, I am not breaking the law. It was approved to be used.”
Saima was elected as one of the first Muslim female councillors at Blackburn with Darwen Council in 2018, but was deselected by the local Labour party two years later. Following this, she made claims of bullying and intimidation in the local Labour party.
Responding to Ms Afzal on Twitter, Blackburn with Darwen Council said: “The Royal Mail are commissioned by the council to deliver poll cards; received and delivered by Royal Mail staff direct from the printers.
“The Council has no involvement in the production or distribution of any party political material and does not directly deliver poll cards.”
Local elections will take place nationwide on Thursday, May 5.
