Neil Wilby Media

There is never a dull moment in politics in a famous old East Lancashire mill town – and this week has proved to be no exception.

The opaque Labour administration running Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council managed to shoot itself in the foot, yet again (read more here), the Conservatives managed to pull off what could be a significant recruitment coup and an independent Parliamentary candidate lamented the fact that an intensive four week fundraising campaign, netting him £6,000, has been backed by less than 100 supporters (read more here).

A celebration dinner to welcome former Labour councillor, Montaz Ali Azad (pictured above right), was held by the Oldham Conservatives on Sunday 13th August. A controversial figure by any standards, he has spent convictions for election fraud, people trafficking and tax evasion (read more here). He also lost over £50,000 in adverse legal costs when unsuccessfully challenging the 2021 local election result after narrowly losing out to Labour’s Cllr Abdul Jabbar (read more here).

His closest friends, Mohib Uddin, a senior HMRC tax inspector and former Liberal Democrat councillor (pictured above left) and the now notorious Tameside-based conspiracy theorist, Raja Miah (pictured above centre), were at the very heart of the Collective Free Spirit school scandal in Oldham in which grotesque safeguarding and operational failings were uncovered and millions of pounds of taxpayer’s money remain unaccounted for.

The three of them represent, by far, the most successful ‘cartel’ ever seen in Oldham, not least as Mo and Raja were also central figures in collapsed charities, Peacemaker and RISE, in which the familiar questions over the ultimate destination of large sums of public funds are still being asked. The Miah MP candidacy for the Oldham West and Royton seat currently held by Jim McMahon MP, may offer the opportunity for parents, former pupils, teachers and stakeholders to ask questions about the missing money and the abuse of large numbers of the free school children. Particularly at public meetings, press briefings or hustings. Both deny any wrongdoing.

Notwithstanding all that colourful history, Montaz Ali remains very popular in his home ward of Coldhurst; not least as he is a trustee of the charity which runs Oldham Central Masjid and Islamic Centre. According to local folklore, he also funded the building of the mosque.

Having stood, and won, as an independent candidate in 2018 (complete with controversy over false claims on his election leaflets) and 2022, and now with the backing of the Conservatives increasingly powerful Asian contingent, he would start as favourite in the May 2024 renewal having surprisingly lost, by just 172 votes, in 2023.

With Labour hanging onto overall power by just two seats, a loss in Coldhurst, particularly to a former Party colleague, would be damaging. Particularly as three other Labour councillors, Cllr Steve Bashforth in Royton South, Cllr Josh Charters in St James and Cllr Paul Fryer in Failsworth West won their seats by less than 100 votes, and another, Cllr Eddie Moores, this year’s Deputy Mayor, in Chadderton North by less than 200 votes.

There is, however, cause for some optimism for Oldham Labour as Cllr Lucia Rea in Failsworth East, Cllr Muhammad Irfan in Hollinwood and Cllr Lewis Quigg, in Royton North also defend majorities of less than 100. The latter is very closely tied to the ‘Coldhurst cartel’, particularly Raja Miah, to whom he owes his seat on the council, and acts as their voice in the civic chamber.

This is the full list of candidates who finished third in the 2023 all-out elections, thus being eligible to sit as a councillor for just one year before facing a poll in May, 2024. Assuming, of course, they retain the support of their respective parties, are not retiring from politics or illness does not intervene.

Those who topped the poll serve for four years, which include the re-instated Leader of Oldham Council, Cllr Arooj Shah; those who finished second for three years.

The following year, likely to be marked with a general election in January 2025, is ‘fallow’ with no local elections taking place.

Alexandra – Jenny Harrison (Labour)

Chadderton Central – Elaine Taylor (Labour)

Chadderton North – Eddie Moores (Labour) +

Chadderton South – Holly Harrison (Labour)

Coldhurst – Ruji Surjan (Labour) +

Crompton – Diane Williamson (LibDem)

Failsworth East – Lucia Rea (Failsworth Independent Party) *

Failsworth West – Paul Fryer (Labour) *

Hollinwood – Muhammad Irfan (Conservative) *

Medlock Vale – Umar Nasheen (Labour)

Royton North – Lewis Quigg (Conservatives) *

Royton South – Steve Bashforth (Labour) *

Saddleworth North – Garth Harkness (LibDem) +

Saddleworth South – Max Woodvine (Conservative) +

Saddleworth West and Lees – Mark Kenyon (LibDem)

Shaw – Hazel Gloster (LibDem) *

St James – Josh Charters (Labour) *

St Mary’s – Aqeel Salamat (Labour)

Waterhead – Ros Birch (Labour)

Werneth – Nyla Ibrahim (Labour)

Dr Zahid Chauhan OBE, this year’s Mayor, is widely expected to retire from local politics to pursue his Parliamentary ambitions at the end of his term as first citizen. His departure would trigger a by-election in Alexandra, the safest Labour ward in the Borough.

Councillors in the Oldham Conservative Group have been asked if they have any concerns over the backstory and ‘cartel’ associations with their newest prospective councillor.

UPDATE: A well known Labour politician in the Region has asked Neil Wilby Media to point out: “Montaz’s apparent enthusiasm for modern slavery, and opposition to paying tax, make him the perfect Tory!”

There has been no right of reply exercised, so far, by the Oldham Tories.

Follow Neil Wilby on Twitter (here) and Neil Wilby Media on Facebook (here) for signposts to any updates.

Page last updated: Saturday 19th August, 2023 at 17h25

Thank you for reading and a polite request: If you feel this article is of value and in the public interest, and wish to make a contribution to the running costs of this website, it would be very much appreciated. Donations can made securely (and anonymously if required), via Buy Me A Coffee at this link or via PayPal at this link.

Corrections: Please let me know if there is a mistake in this article. I will endeavour to correct it as soon as possible.

Picture credit: Oldham Council

Right of reply: If you are mentioned in this article and disagree with it, please let me have your comments. Provided your response is not defamatory it will be added to the article.

© Neil Wilby 2015-2023. Unauthorised use, or reproduction, of the material contained in this article, without permission from the author, is strictly prohibited. Extracts from, and links to, the article (or blog) may be used, provided that credit is given to Neil Wilby Media, with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.