Ex-city mayor '˜considering' council seat

Mohammed Choudhary, who was jailed for electoral fraud a decade ago, told the Peterborough Telegraph in December he had been selected by the party to stand in Central ward. At the time, council leader Cllr John Holdich said Mr Choudhary “has an awful lot to offer.”

However, last Friday a Conservative Party spokesman contacted the PT to say no candidate would be officially chosen before March.

And yesterday local party chairman Cllr John Peach told the PT that Mr Choudhary withdrew his interest a few weeks ago and that candidates are not confirmed until the end of March.

He said: “He sent us a note saying he did not wish to be considered. John Holdich is not the Peterborough association so does not have any responsibility for candidates.”

After speaking to Cllr Peach, the PT contacted Mr Choudhary who said: “I’ve been thinking about it and I’m still considering whether to stand.”

At last week’s Full Council meeting six Conservative councillors supported a motion which calls on the council to lobby for a change in the law so people convicted of electoral fraud would be banned for life from standing for public office. Nine Tories abstained and 13 voted against the motion, which ended up passing.