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A major political storm has erupted in the London borough of Hounslow after a prominent Labour councillor was suspended following the rejection of her appeal against a staggering £40,000 fine for breaching immigration law. Councillor Hina Mir, a qualified solicitor and former Deputy Mayor of Hounslow, was found to have illegally employed a student from India as a cash-in-hand nanny, a ruling that has now placed the local Labour Group under severe pressure regarding its standards and internal conduct, Daily Dazzling Dawn realized.
The City of London County Court ordered Cllr Mir to pay the £40,000 penalty, along with an additional £3,620 in court costs, after she unsuccessfully attempted to overturn a fine issued in January. Court documents reveal that Cllr Mir, 45, employed a 22-year-old Indian national, Himanshi Gongley, to look after her children and perform household chores, paying her £1,200 a month in cash. Ms. Gongley, whose student visa had expired, was in the UK illegally. Critically, the court heard that the student was allegedly on call for "24 hours a day for six days a week." The illegal employment came to light last year when Ms. Gongley reportedly flagged down a police car for help, claiming she was being abused by her employers and felt suicidal—allegations which Cllr Mir’s representative strongly dismissed in court as a fabrication intended to gain an immigration advantage. Judge Stephen Hellman noted "inconsistencies" in Cllr Mir's testimony, stating he could not place as much reliance on her evidence as he normally would. Cllr Mir had reportedly referred to the student by the nickname "Ria" and maintained she was only a "social visitor" who helped with occasional chores.
Despite the initial January ruling against her, the solicitor-councillor was not immediately suspended by the Hounslow Labour Group. In a move that has fueled the mounting controversy, she was even re-selected as a candidate for the 2026 local elections and appointed Chair of the influential Housing and Environment Scrutiny Panel in May—four months after the court's initial judgment. Only recently, following the loss of her appeal, was Cllr Mir suspended from the Labour Party, though she remains a serving borough councillor.
The immigration fine is the latest in a series of conduct issues challenging the Hounslow Labour leadership. Conservative Councillor Jack Emlsey has been vocal in condemning the situation, claiming it confirms a "double standard" within the ruling group. He challenged Hounslow Labour's decision to re-select Cllr Mir and elevate her to the scrutiny chair position despite being aware of the January ruling, stating it "beggars belief" and that the party has "a lot of questions to answer."
Adding to the controversy, Cllr Mir was recently photographed parking her vehicle in a disabled bay at the council offices without displaying a Blue Badge, a serious breach of parking regulations. This incident follows a similar, high-profile scandal involving fellow Labour colleague, Councillor Farhaan Rehman. Cllr Rehman was forced to resign from his role as Chair of the Licensing Panel after his £200,000 Lamborghini SUV was photographed parked in a disabled bay at the same council car park on two separate occasions without a Blue Badge. While he apologised, offered a donation to charity, and resigned his committee chairmanship, he remains a serving Labour councillor and a candidate for the next election.
Furthermore, Cllr Rehman is now facing scrutiny over whether he failed to declare his directorships of three companies while chairing the Licensing Panel. Hounslow Labour maintains he had no pecuniary interest to declare, arguing the companies were inactive beyond registration, but a formal complaint has been lodged with Hounslow Council, which is understood to be under assessment.
The Labour Group's official response to Cllr Mir's situation has been brief, confirming her suspension from the party and stating, "We do not comment on any internal investigations." This series of events has galvanised the Opposition and outraged local residents, who feel a sense of impunity and entitlement runs through the borough's governing body, especially when ordinary citizens face heavy fines for minor infractions. The pressure is now mounting on Hounslow Labour to address what critics are calling a culture of misconduct that appears to set elected officials above the rules they are supposed toenforce.
Read more-Hounslow Scandal: Ex-Deputy Mayor Hina Mir Exposed in Disabled Bay ‘Abuse of Power’
