Arooj Shah

Shah had begun preparing a local inquiry chaired by Tom Crowther KC. In December 2025, the Home Secretary informed her that Oldham would be prioritised in the new statutory national inquiry led by Anne Longfield, making a separate local approach unnecessary. Shah supported integration and called for survivors to have a substantial role.

State of the evidence

Documented

In the 2026 local elections, Labour fell from approximately 26 seats to 18 while Reform UK gained 13 seats to reach 16. Shah called the result devastating and announced that she would step down as council leader on 20 May.

State of the evidence

Documented

After leaving office, Shah stated that the far right, the far left and misinformation about grooming gangs had created a toxic political climate in Oldham. She described racism, misogyny and threats she had experienced and warned that communities were becoming fragmented.

Attribution

Personally implicated

Oldham was named alongside London, Bradford and Keighley among the first areas to be examined by the statutory national grooming gangs inquiry. Shah was a former council leader and contextual figure, but the selection concerned historical institutional failures.

State of the evidence

Documented

Shah confirmed that she remained friends with Mohammed Imran Ali, known as 'Irish Immy', whom she had known since childhood. Ali was convicted in 2013 of helping Dale Cregan following David Short's murder. Her opponents used the relationship to question her judgement.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

Person targeted by the proceedings

Mohammed Imran Ali

Role of the person profiled

Protagonist not prosecuted

The Newsam and Ridgway Assurance Review found serious historical failures but stated that it had found no evidence of a deliberate institutional cover-up. This conclusion and the review's non-statutory scope were challenged. When Shah returned to power, she supported the need for a broader investigation with stronger powers.

State of the evidence

Documented

A private meeting between Shah and independent councillors was secretly recorded and subsequently circulated. Shah complained about four councillors. In November 2025, the Standards Sub-Committee found that Mark Kenyon had secretly recorded and forwarded the file in breach of the Code; the other three were unaware of the recording at the time.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Protagonist is the complainant

Kamran Ghafoor and an opposition coalition tried once again to remove Shah, alleging that her administration had lost public confidence. The attempt failed when several independents maintained their support for Labour.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Following the Casey audit, Shah welcomed a national inquiry with statutory powers, called for genuine accountability for professionals who failed and said it was necessary to examine why certain patterns of exploitation were more common among some groups of men, while emphasising that abuse occurs across all races and religions.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Personally implicated

During her periods leading Oldham Council, Shah faced accusations that the council or Labour had minimised or concealed child sexual exploitation. The 2022 Assurance Review confirmed missed opportunities and institutional failures.

State of the evidence

Allegations

After Labour lost its overall majority, the opposition tabled no-confidence motions against Shah. Before the May 2024 vote, she negotiated with independent councillors whose support allowed Labour to retain control; a covertly recorded conversation fuelled allegations of collusion concerning political concessions and local projects.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Oldham Council had begun recruiting a chair for an independent local inquiry into historical sexual exploitation. Following the announcement of a national inquiry, the local process was paused for several months. Survivors' representatives criticised the council for leaving them uncertain and communicating poorly.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Direct responsibility

The opposition tabled a motion asking the government for a comprehensive audit of Oldham's governance and finances and declaring that the council had 'NO confidence' in Shah and her administration. The motion did not lead to her removal.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Political responsibility

Labour lost its Oldham majority for the first time in thirteen years, with several independents winning in wards where Gaza played an important role. Shah acknowledged the defeat while arguing that austerity and divisive local politics predated the Gaza conflict.

State of the evidence

Documented

After Labour lost its majority, an alliance of Liberal Democrats, Conservatives and independents attempted to replace Shah with Howard Sykes. Shah retained her position by a single vote, 29 to 28, with three abstentions, following negotiations with independents.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Shah faced strong criticism over her longstanding closeness to Mohammed Imran Ali, known as 'Irish Immy', convicted in 2013 of helping murderer Dale Cregan by driving him after the murder of David Short. Shah explained that she had known Ali since childhood and defended the principle of rehabilitation.

State of the evidence

Admitted by the person

Person targeted by the proceedings

Mohammed Imran Ali

Role of the person profiled

Protagonist not prosecuted

Public questioning established that Arooj Shah had not initially declared her interest in Gelato's Ice Lounge. In 2022, she explained that she had received incorrect advice from a council officer. Companies House confirms that she had been a director from 17 January 2017 to 1 February 2018, although the termination was not registered until July 2019.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Local campaigners accused Shah and the Labour administration of concealing or minimising child sexual exploitation. In 2022, a campaign leaflet personally accused her of covering up child sexual exploitation to gain votes within the Pakistani community; Shah denounced a campaign of harassment and hatred.

Attribution

Directly implicated

Shah lost Chadderton South to Conservative Robert Barnes by 1,197 votes to 1,101, simultaneously losing her seat and the council leadership. She subsequently attributed her defeat to a campaign seeking to 'dehumanise' her, against the backdrop of allegations concerning child sexual exploitation and intense local polarisation.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Shah became leader of Oldham Council in May 2021, the first Muslim woman to lead a council in northern England. She thereby assumed contemporary political responsibility for a local authority still facing strong pressure over grooming gangs and historical institutional responses.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Directly implicated

Shah's car was set alight outside her home. Greater Manchester Police described the attack as a 'reckless, abhorrent act', and a 23-year-old man was arrested. Shah subsequently explained that she had nevertheless attended a council meeting the following day.

State of the evidence

Documented

Attribution

Protagonist is the victim

Role of the person profiled

Protagonist is the victim

As deputy leader, Shah publicly denounced an online campaign alleging, among other things, that she had 'slept her way to the top' and using sexualised insults. She described the attacks as misogyny and linked them to an increasingly aggressive local political environment.

State of the evidence

Documented