Oldham’s former leader warns identity politics ‘tearing communities apart’
Arooj Shah, the former leader of Oldham council, has warned that identity politics is tearing communities apart. Shah quit as leader earlier in May after local elections left the Greater Manchester borough with no group in overall control. She now fears that the fragmentation of the vote in Oldham may lead to political deadlock in other parts of the country. More than three weeks after the elections, the borough of 250,000 residents remains in political stalemate, with parties yet to agree on leadership and terms for working together. Shah said unsubstantiated “social media lies” about a grooming gang scandal cover-up had poisoned town hall politics and intensified the abuse she received while in office. A crunch meeting has been scheduled for 15 June to try to resolve the deadlock. This report is based solely on a single source, The Guardian.
What’s reported
Arooj Shah quit as leader of Oldham council earlier in May after local elections left the council with no overall control.
She warned that identity politics is tearing communities apart.
Shah said unsubstantiated “social media lies” that Labour had covered up the town’s grooming gang scandal had poisoned town hall politics.
A safeguarding review found no evidence of a Labour cover-up.
The borough, with 250,000 residents, is in political stalemate more than three weeks after elections.
Labour fell to 18 councillors, Reform UK has 16, and the Oldham Group of pro-Gaza independents has 10.
A crunch meeting has been scheduled for 15 June.
Shah’s car was torched in 2021, and last year a man was reported to police for threatening to kill her.
Shah receives regular racist and misogynistic abuse and requires Home Office security when attending events.
Conflicting accounts
Lewis Quigg, Oldham’s Reform group leader, stated that Labour “has learnt nothing” and “failed to deliver for Oldham.”
Kamran Ghafoor, the Oldham Group leader, denied “weaponising Gaza,” saying it was “politics driven by conviction and representation” and that the opposition alliance had tried to engage constructively.
Open questions
The outcome of the 15 June crunch meeting to resolve the political stalemate in Oldham is not yet known.
Misconceptions
The article reports that a safeguarding review found no evidence of a Labour cover-up of the grooming gang scandal, contrary to unsubstantiated social media claims.
Shah stated that some people incorrectly believe she is related to grooming gangs because she is “brown” and a Muslim leader of the council, whereas she says she has been a strong voice in dealing with perpetrators.
Key figures
Arooj Shah – former leader of Oldham council
Lewis Quigg – Oldham Reform group leader
Kamran Ghafoor – Oldham Group leader
Sources: The Guardian
