Khalid Mahmood MP sacked ex-girlfriend 'for humiliating him'

A Labour MP accused of unfairly dismissing his aide and ex-girlfriend said she was fired after "embarrassing and humiliating" him.

Khalid Mahmood told an employment tribunal at one point Elaina Cohen called him a "first-class idiot" in emails to Sir Keir Starmer.

Ms Cohen alleges he sacked her after she raised concerns about a colleague.

But the MP said she was the one who stopped treating him with "respect" after he ended their relationship.

Ms Cohen claims she was in a relationship with the 60-year-old while employed by him but it ended in 2005 when she refused to become his "second wife" in an Islamic marriage ceremony.

She also accused Mr Mahmood of bullying and "racism" while working as his senior parliamentary adviser until January last year.

Her case is centred on three allegations she claims to have made to the MP for Perry Barr under whistleblowing regulations about a colleague, Saraya Hussain.

The former aide claims Ms Hussain used Mr Mahmood's signature on House of Commons stationery to try to challenge a fine and blackmailed vulnerable women in her care.

A third claim relates to alleged "anti-Semitic" material which Ms Cohen said was shared on Facebook by Ms Hussain.

She claims the MP failed to act properly on them and told the tribunal when she told her boss of her concerns he "accused me of being jealous of Saraya Hussain".

Some of the allegations were examined by West Midlands Police who concluded there was no criminal investigation to continue, the tribunal heard.

In his written statement to the tribunal, Mr Mahmood said he cut personal ties with Ms Cohen after she began behaving in an "irrational" way but kept her on as an employee.

He denied she was sacked over the allegations and said he carried out a full and fair investigation into her conduct before she was dismissed.

He claimed she was dismissed in 2021 for gross misconduct which included allegedly breaching the terms of a suspension and sending "offensive" messages.

The MP added he looked into the complaint about the alleged letter and found Ms Hussain was not responsible and he could not inquire into the other allegations due to the police inquiry.

Mr Mahmood also denied Ms Cohen's claims about his attitude towards marriage saying his current marriage is "formally registered".

The hearing at the London Central Employment Tribunal continues.

Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [email protected]