A FORMER councillor who was deselected ahead of this year’s local elections is calling for an investigation into a ‘campaign’ against her.

Saima Afzal MBE, who was first elected as a Labour councillor for Blackburn Central in 2018 before being deselected last year, says that she was undermined and ill-treated from the start by fellow councillors in a manner that would be classed as ‘honour-based abuse’ had it happened outside of the political arena.

She has said that she is not seeking another seat on the council but that the investigation is intended to get to the truth of the matter.

Ms Afzal said: “My term was short, turbulent, and fraught with difficulties.

“The obstacles I encountered had less to do with the many difficult situations faced by and brought to me by my constituents such as domestic abuse, poverty and the many complex problems raised by the Covid-19 pandemic, instead, they had everything to do with the nasty obstructions and slurs of some of my fellow politicians.”

The former councillor, who is also an independent expert on safeguarding, says she was not supported by the leadership when trying to confront these issues.

Ms Afzal said: “I thought the law is there to protect me and others from such abuse and discrimination.

“I wish I had been more public about these ingrained problems in local politics from day one but, naively, I thought I could effect change from the inside.

“I could not, I was prevented at every step, I was told, it’s not personal it’s political, it’s not true and I am not ok with that.”

She added: “I thought in democratic politics everyone had a right to ask questions and to challenge exclusionary behaviour, I thought that was my job.

“When I got elected, I said that if I lose an election for doing the right thing, so be it, I did not expect to be deselected so that I would be prevented from doing right.”

In response, Blackburn and District Trades Union Council has confirmed that it has written to the Labour Party requesting an investigation be held into the circumstances behind Ms Afzal’s deselection.

President Vikki Dugdale said: “We’ve written to the party to call for an investigation, but we’ve not yet had a response.”

She added: “We’ve expressed our concerns about her withdrawal from the selection process and how this is not promoting positive action.”

Ms Afzal has produced a number of videos and social media posts further highlighting her case.

Blackburn Labour Party declined to comment but says that the matter is in the hands of the party’s regional office.