Community Life

Former Asian Affairs advisor to the Mayor of London, Kumar Murshid, has quit the Labour Party after more than 20 years of membership. He is one of London’s leading race campaigners and a founding member of the National Assembly against Racism.

Murshid is currently in talks with the Respect Party, based in Tower Hamlets.

He was a Labour councillor for Limehouse in Tower Hamlets between 1998 and 2006.

In 2003, the Labour Party suspended him following allegations of fraud and theft of public money, but he was subsequently cleared by Southwark Crown Court.

He said: "As a Labour councillor and member I have had more vicious opposition from New Labour ‘colleagues’ than from the official opposition.

"I have been marginalised and victimised by the Party because I am a free thinker and have sought to champion issues that New Labour finds uncomfortable.

"The people of East London and particularly the Bangladeshi community have been treated very badly by Labour over the years."

Respect MP for Bethnal Green and Bow, George Galloway, has told BBC London that Kumar Murshid would be a strong possible replacement in his constituency at the next General Election if he joins the party.

Kumar Murshid's departure from the Labour Party comes in the same week as Waiseul Islam, a Tower Hamlets councillor, left the Respect Party to join the Labour party.

Newham and Tower Hamlets reporter, Angela Saini, interviewed Kumar Murshid and George Galloway. To watch their responses click on the link at the top right of this page.

angela.saini@bbc.co.uk