Labour’s Banff and Buchan candidate for the general election has been suspended from the party pending the outcome of a trial where he is accused of a string of motoring offences – including drink driving.
Masoomul Sumon Hoque appeared in the dock at Aberdeen Sheriff Court this morning facing five charges all alleged to have taken place on May 1 last year.
The 32-year-old, who was selected to stand for the political party earlier this year, denied all the charges against him.
It is alleged the former Aberdeen University student drove the car, which did not have an MOT certificate, without a licence and while over the limit.
Court papers state that he drove the car with 44 micrograms of alcohol in his breath. The legal limit is 35mcg.
It is further alleged that he abandoned the car on on Bridge Street, Aberdeen, causing an obstruction the road.
And when officers discovered the vehicle had no test certificate they allegedly asked Hoque to identify the driver of the car and he refused.
Hoque, of 39 King’s Crescent, Aberdeen, will still appear on the ballot paper as a Scottish Labour candidate because the party is prevented from removing it under electoral law.
This means voters in Banff and Buchan will be denied the opportunity to officially back the party at the ballot box.
A spokesman for the Scottish Labour Party said: “Sumon Hoque has been suspended from representing the Labour Party and we have, therefore, withdrawn support from him as the general election candidate.”
Hoque has been working in the north-east business community for more than a decade.
Most recently he has been working for an independent television production company.
Hoque will go on trial on May 21.