Kosru Uddin. Photo: Tower Hamlets Labour Party

Kosru Uddin, the Labour councillor for Mile End east,  was arrested by police
late Wednesday night after a row broke out at a Tower Hamlets council meeting. Uddin was arrested on suspicion of making “threats to kill” independent cabinet member Rania Khan.

The council were holding an emergency debate, in an attempt to fill the position of chief executive, which has been vacant for the past eight months. The meeting was closed to both the public and press.

Agenda document for meeting of Tower Hamlets Council disrupted by the arrest of one of its councillors

During this meeting it was reported that Uddin allegedly made threats to kill Khan, and was also involved in an argument with her mother, Lutfa Khan, who is also a councillor.

It was reported that three other councillors attempted to restrain Uddin by pinning him to the wall, before he was taken out of the chamber in front of the stunned councillors.

It was reported that one of the councillors said “He seemed extremely angry. His eyes appeared wild. I’ve never seen anything like that. It was shocking.”

The incident has received London regional and national media coverage.

But it was the local East London Advertiser that broke the story.

Tower Hamlets Town Hall in Mulberry Place E14. Photo: Tower Hamlets Council

Council security cleared the lobby area of the council of public and press, who had been attending the previous meeting which was open to the public.

A spokewomen for the council said, ‘The council can confirm that there was an incident at the council chamber last night. We fully support the police with their investigations, as we always look to promote the highest standards of professional and personal behaviour from all those associated with the council.’

The Metropolitan Police said in a statement ‘Police in Tower Hamlets have arrested a 45-year-old man on suspicion of threats to kill. The arrest is in relation to an incident that occurred at a meeting at the town hall at approximately 11.35pm.’

Uddin has now been released on bail pending further inquiries, and there have been no charges made to date.