The mayor of Blackburn stepped down and offered his “deepest apologies” after being fined £200 for breaching coronavirus restrictions. On Saturday, Iftakhar Hussain was caught by police at a house in Blackburn after a member of the public called to report a wedding.
Hussain, a Labour councillor for the Bastwell area of Blackburn, which has had one of the highest coronavirus infection rates in the UK, has apologised for what he said was a “momentary lapse of judgment”.
Offering his resignation, he said, “Given recent events, I have taken the decision to step down from my position as the mayor of Blackburn with Darwen with immediate effect. I believe this is the right thing to do and I no longer believe I can continue to serve as mayor to the best of my ability.
“I do not want to make any excuses; I regret the momentary lapse of judgment – I should have known better and I accept full responsibility for my actions. Being appointed as the mayor of Blackburn with Darwen during these difficult and unprecedented times has been challenging, but it has been a great honour to have served the residents of this great borough. It was a proud moment for me and my family.
“I want to give my deepest apologies over any breaking of restrictions. I hope my actions will serve as a reminder to the people of Blackburn with Darwen of the importance of following the Covid-19 guidelines as it remains a real and serious threat.”
