Questions have been raised after the arrest of a former Bradford councillor over allegations that he has purchased and used illegal drugs.
Reverend Paul Flowers, who served on Bradford Council from 2002 to 2011, was filmed allegedly buying cocaine and discussing the purchase of other illegal drugs.
The video, which was published by the Mail on Sunday, resulted in Rev Flowers arrest on November 21 and is currently on police bail.
Two men were also arrested as part of the ongoing investigation into allegations of drugs supply offences and have been released on bail.
The men, aged 26 and 34, have been bailed to a date in the New Year while enquiries continue.
It has also been revealed that Rev Flowers quit his position as a Labour councillor after “inappropriate” adult material was found on his Council computer in September 2011. However, the original reason, at the time, was related to work and family pressure.
The Conservative and Liberal Democrats members of the council have now contacted the authority’s chief executive Tony Reeves, demanding an independent investigation.
Bradford West MP George Galloway has also demanded that the Bradford Labour Party “come clean” on who was involved in the “extensive cover-up” of the resignation of the Rev Paul Flowers from the council.
Galloway said: “We know that the then-leader Ian Greenwood was told that pornography had been found on a council laptop in Flowers’ possession and that he colluded in the cover-up. Are we expected to believe that he didn’t consult with senior colleagues like Dave Green and Imran Hussain? Because I don’t. This must have been well known to members of the Labour group and to the chief executive Tony Reeves, who would have been alerted when the material was first found.”
He added: “Now while I can understand, if not condone, a personal motive in not publicly humiliating Flowers, this was all about politics. It wouldn’t just have brought shame and ignominy on Flowers if it had come out, but the affair would have tainted the entire Bradford Labour group. What is absolutely unforgivable is that Greenwood and his chums then put forward this man, with a sordid previous history, as chair of governors for Lidget Green Primary school.
“They failed in their duty to inform the parents and the management of the school, they decided to continue their cover-up and this cannot go unpunished. There needs to be an independent inquiry into the roles and behaviour of those I have named.”
Rev Flowers was also the former chairman of the Co-op Bank, quitting the post in June this year.
It has now emerged that the Co-op is seeking to recover £31,000 from Rev Flowers since he left the £132,000-a-year post.
In a statement, Co-op said: “When Paul Flowers relinquished his responsibilities in June, it was agreed, as per his contractual obligations, that his fees for the rest of his period of office would be paid.
“Following recent revelations, the board stopped all payments with immediate effect and no further payments will be made.”