Pro-Gaza councillor breached code of conduct after making Zionist claims against Muslim colleague
Redbridge Council independent Cllr Noor Jahan Begum targetted the chair of the council's pension fund committee
A pro-Gaza councillor, recently praised by Your Party co-founder Zarah Sultana, has been found to have breached Redbridge Council’s code of conduct after making false allegations against a Muslim Labour colleague —including claims about his alleged support for Israel and Zionism, despite his record of supporting Palestinian rights.
Local Mayfield ward Councillor Noor Jahan Begum denied distributing misleading leaflets against Councillor Tanweer Khan Khan, chair of Redbridge Council’s Pension Fund Committee, which suggested he opposed an anti-Israel divestment campaign supported by local pro-Palestine activists.
However, an independent investigation and formal public hearing conducted by Redbridge Council’s Standards Committee found that Councillor Begum misled the investigation, lied during the process, and colluded with her niece, who had submitted a separate complaint against Councillor Khan.
It emerged Begum and her niece failed to disclose their family relationship, despite living at the same address.
Without offering a right of appeal, the Committee recommended that Councillor Begum be removed from all committees for six months, attend training arranged by the Monitoring Officer within six weeks, and that the Monitoring Officer consider any further necessary action.
Begum repeatedly claimed to be unfamilar with council proceedure and rules as she addressed the committee, but it was pointed out that she had insight into the way local government worked, and that she was a Commissioner of Health and Social Care and as a magistrate.
Former Labour MP Sultana had been filmed at a Your Party meeting in Redbridge last month claiming Begum would stand again against and defeat local MP Jaz Athwal at the next general election.
Sultana praised Begum saying she represented “honesty” and “working class solidarity” , and would help build the movement to “take back the power that we deserve”.
Begum, an Ilford Independents candidate, had won with 43 percent of the vote in a by-election to Redbridge council in March this year.
On November 13, the Committee said it also agreed with the independent investigator’s findings that Begum deliberately obscured her involvement with the Redbridge Palestine Solidarity Campaign.
She also falsely claimed not to have distributed leaflets and downplayed her relationship with her niece by stating she only knew her from demonstrations, and changed her statements during the investigation, it was concluded.
She also claimed that Councillor Khan approached her by car, despite CCTV showing he was on foot, and denied distributing leaflets despite photographic evidence proving she had.
Councillor Khan had initially alleged that on April 10, 2025, Councillor Begum distributed misleading leaflets against him in a local ward, behaved in a stalking manner outside the Ilford Islamic Centre on April 18, and engaged in misconduct during the complaints process.
The leaflets falsely stated that Khan, as Chair of the Pension Fund Committee, did not support the campaign to divest the Local Government Pension Scheme from Israel, and implied he was pro-Israel, pro-Zionism, and anti-Palestine.
Begum denied all allegations.
But the Council later found that on April 10 she was present in her ward distributing leaflets and making unsupported claims, including accusations of misogynistic behaviour by Khan.
The allegation that she harassed Khan outside the Ilford Islamic Centre was not proven due to insufficient evidence, the council said.
Furthermore, while the Council found the language in the leaflets to be extremely harsh, the wording was deemed to fall within the bounds of free speech.
However, Councillor Begum’s dishonesty and lack of integrity in making and supporting complaints constituted a breach of the Code of Conduct relating to respect.
Her actions also risked causing personal and professional harm and brought her office—and the London Borough of Redbridge—into disrepute, it was concluded.
It was also decided that her concealment of her relationship with a supporting witness further eroded public trust.
After the hearing, Councillor Khan stated:“The Committee’s ruling highlights how such claims can be weaponised to cause reputational and personal harm.
“My record on Palestinian rights is clear and a matter of public record. What my family and I have endured over these months has been deeply distressing, but I am grateful that the truth has now been established. I have supported the cause of Palestine all my life, and I will always stand by the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination. I was hounded and defamed.”
Councillor Begum responded:“The Council did not follow due process. They failed to correctly investigate my complaint against Mr Khan and have publicly censured me for making a retaliatory complaint. I strongly disagree and will be making a complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman.”
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