Neil Wilby Media

A City Region’s gaffe-prone Equality Lead, whom, in all conscience, should have resigned from the post months ago (read more here), has dropped yet another big boob:

Almost 35 per cent of Greater Manchester’s citizens are believed to have some form of Irish roots; little wonder then St Patrick’s Day has become deeply embedded into the city’s culture. 

But not with Cllr Arooj Shah, whom doubles up as Oldham Council Leader, as she comprehensively snubbed by far the biggest day in the Irish calendar. 

She cannot claim to not know about the historic day as she re-tweeted this post from Shabana Mahmood MP on her Twitter feed. 

“Great to meet Deputy Ambassador Orla McBreen last week to discuss the deep roots the Irish community have in Birmingham and to celebrate their immense contribution to our city.”

Her Special Political Adviser (SPAD), Mohammed Imran Ali, is also Irish. He is more widely known as ‘Irish Imy’, or ‘Immy’ (read more here).

Cllr Shah, surprisingly and almost alone amongst Oldham councillors, has no presence on Facebook. The Council-run, and highly politicised, ‘I Love Oldham’ Facebook page also cold-shouldered St Patrick’s Day.

She has been asked, via her press office, to explain these glaring omissions and slights in her own words.

The Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham, whom appointed his friend, Cllr Shah, to the Equality Lead post, has been asked to explain why she has not been removed from a position to which, on all the evidence, she is entirely unsuited.

Page last updated: Tuesday 18th February 2024 at 0825 hours

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