UK: Newham council investigates Labour mayoral candidate's past flat purchase
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Imran Mulla
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Tue, 04/21/2026 - 14:29
A row has broken out over a former council flat in the east London borough of Newham, ahead of crucial local elections on 7 May
Buildings at the Canary Wharf financial district are seen in the background from a high street in the London borough of Newham, east London, on 2 May 2020 (AFP)
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A row has broken out over a former council flat in the east London borough of Newham, ahead of crucial local elections on 7 May.
The flat's previous owner, Forhad Hussain, is Labour's candidate to be Newham mayor.
Hussain purchased the flat in 2016 with financial assistance from Newham council, in which he was at that time a senior councillor.
Middle East Eye has seen a public interest referral made last month to Newham council's monitoring officer, chief executive and external auditors which requested an investigation into "the acquisition and disposal of a council-derived housing asset by an individual who held elected public office within the authority [Newham] at the relevant time".
Hussain has strenuously denied any wrongdoing. A letter to a local resident by the council's auditors, Ernst & Young, dated 17 April and seen by MEE, said the council's monitoring officer was investigating the matter.
The letter said: "I note that you have... raised a complaint with the Council’s Interim Chief Executive in relation to this matter. The Council has responded that your complaint will be investigated.
"You subsequently confirmed that in addition to bringing the matter to our attention that you believe the matter should be investigated by the Council’s Monitoring Officer.
"I understand that investigation is being undertaken and the Monitoring Officer has committed to keeping me informed of the outcome of their work."
London Centric reported earlier this month that records filed at the Land Registry show the property "appears to have been sold by the council through a legal process normally used for Right to Buy transactions", a government scheme to help council tenants buy their rental properties at a discount.
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According to London Centric, "the sum Hussain paid his own council to buy the publicly-owned flat in 2016 was never made public at the Land Registry".
After three years Hussain sold the flat for £255,000.
Hussain told MEE on Tuesday that the property "was not a Right to Buy purchase. It was an empty council property offered on the open market through the Newham New Share scheme.
"My wife and I were registered for that scheme, expressed interest in the property, and were successful through the same process available to other eligible Newham residents."
Hussain added: "The property was independently valued by the council at £190,000 and we paid our agreed share of that full market price. There was no negotiation and no discount of the kind associated with Right to Buy."
He said when he and his wife "eventually paid off the council's share in the property – as was envisaged by the scheme – we did so at the uplifted market rate of the property at that time.
"Any suggestion that I benefited from my position is categorically untrue. I did not receive preferential treatment at any stage."
Hussain also denied that an investigation is ongoing, saying "I have been informed that no new investigation is taking place, and any previous enquiries into this matter have already been concluded."
Newham council declined to comment in response to an MEE request.
Local election campaigning heats up
This comes as campaigning in the mayoral election is heating up.
Last week during a debate on a local radio station, the Green Party candidate for mayor, Areeq Chowdhury, said questions were being raised over "a purchase of a council flat [Hussain] made whilst a [council] cabinet member, and there are serious questions about why that was issued as a Right to Buy. It was an empty flat, apparently an empty flat, issued as a Right to Buy."
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Chowdhury said he understood the council's monitoring officer had begun an investigation and "the idea that it is a closed matter is false".
But Hussain said that "the claims that are being made are completely false" and accused Chowdhury of "gutter politics".
The Labour Party did not respond to a request for comment.
At the May elections, more than 5,000 seats in 136 councils are up for grabs.
The Green Party is challenging the Labour government from the left, in what is shaping up to be the most crucial electoral contest since Keir Starmer became prime minister in July 2024.
Newham is among the boroughs where the Greens hope to win control of the council and mayoralty.
Mehmood Mirza, a councillor with the Newham Independents, backed by Jeremy Corbyn's Your Party, is also standing for mayor.
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