A gay clique is running a London borough and failing ethnic minorities, a Muslim councillor has claimed

icSouthLondon:

Southwark councillor Dr Abdur-Rahman Olayiwola resigned from the Lib Dems last week, blaming a "disproportionate" number of homosexuals serving on the executive since the party came to power in 2002.

He said ethnic minorities in the borough were not being properly represented.

The devout Muslim made the comments after being told he would not be chosen as a party candidate for the May 4 council election.

He will now stand as an independent candidate in Chaucer ward.

He said: "I have nothing against gays or whites or anyone else.

"But more than half the executive have been gay, lesbian or bisexual. When we came to power the executive was entirely white. It's disproportionate.

"Last year they said they wanted to make Southwark the gay capital of the country. How many people living in poverty here have that as their priority?"

A Lib Dem spokeswoman said Dr Olayiwola hadn't been reapproved as a candidate and that his comments went against the party's vision of a "fairer and more tolerant society".

North Southwark & Bermondsey MP Simon Hughes pointed out that 22 of the party's 63 election candidates were from ethnic minorities.

He said: "It's not unusual for people, when they don't get reselected, to get angry and go independent."

Deselected Chaucer councillor accuses Lib Dems of racism