Councillor involved in hijab row steps down from cabinet duties

A Birmingham councillor has stepped down from his cabinet duties following scrutiny of his actions in a row over hijabs in schools.

Waseem Zaffar, Birmingham Council’s Labour cabinet member for equalities, was involved in a debate about a Catholic school banning a Muslim girl from wearing a hijab.

Earlier tonight, he released this statement about his decision to step down from his duties on the cabinet: