Uk'S First Muslim Mp Faces Bribery Charge
Mohammad Sarwar, a cash-and-carry millionaire and MP for Galsgow Govan, is alleged to have paid off one opponent to induce him to lie about another rival.
The bribery scandal is the first crisis to hit Britain's two-week old Labour government. The Labour Party has taken quick action to diffuse the crisis by launching a full-scale inquiry into the allegations against Sarwar.
We take such charges very seriously, said Labour's new Home Secretary Jack Straw.
Also Read
The allegations that Sarwar paid off a rival, Badar Islam, was headlined in the Sunday tabloid News of the World.
Yesterday's Sunday Times has also said it was investigating voterigging charges in Sarwar's constituency.
Pakistan-born Sarwar is a controversial figure who has been at the epicenter of several earlier political rows. He defeated his nearest rival by 2,914 votes in last fortnight's election.
Sarwar is one of five Asian MPs who have made it into the House of Commons. All the five belong to the Labour Party.
The News of the World alleged that Sarwar had handed over