The Labour MP for Govan in Scotland, Mohammed Sarwar has appeared on petition at Glasgow Sheriff Court to face charges of electoral fraud related to his general election victory in May.

He made no plea or declaration and was committed for further examination. He was granted bail at the private hearing.

The charges include the alleged late registration of voters, attempting to pervert the course of justice and breaking the law in connection with election expenses.

Mr Sarwar, who is Britain's first and only Muslim MP, has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. His agent has described him as being disappointed by the latest turn of events.

Suspended

Mr Sarwar was suspended from the Parliamentary Labour Party in June after police inquiries began and allegations were made against him in a Sunday newspaper. A Labour spokesman said the suspension deprived Mr Sarwar of the right to represent the party at any level

MP David MacLean: "one of the most grave charges"

Since June Mr Sarwar has only visited the House of Commons once. However, he was due to have made his maiden speech in parliament on Friday.

In the House of Commons a Conservative MP questioned whether Mr Sarwar would be allowed to attend parliament if he was granted bail by the court.

In a point of order, the ex-minister David MacLean, MP for Penrith and the Border, said it was a "distressing" issue, with the warrant issued for "one of the most grave charges which exists" for an MP.

If Mr Sarwar is found guilty of any of the charges he could be expelled from the Labour party and disqualified from continuing as an MP.

Self-made man

Mr Sarwar moved to Scotland from Pakistan 40 years ago and built up a successful wholesale business. The married father-of-four was elected to serve as a Glasgow city councillor and was then chosen as Labour's candidate to fight a parliamentary seat in Glasgow.

Mr Sarwar faced bitter opposition from within his own party and local branches were deeply divided, but he survived all the challenges and went into the general election in May as the favourite to win the Glasgow seat.

He was confronted by a determined opponent from the Scottish National Party, who represented a genuine threat, since they had captured the same constituency twice before. But Mr Sarwar held off the nationalist challenge by nearly 3,000 votes. His victory was hailed as a triumph for Labour and for Scotland's ethnic minorities.

On the Labour Party's Website he is listed as a member of the UK Overseas Pakistan Chamber of Commerce and the Ethnic Minority Enterprise Centre.

Under Scottish procedures, Crown officials now carry out their own investigation and the decision on what detailed charges, if any, Sarwar will face, will be taken by Crown Counsel.
 

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