Crawley mayor Shahzad Malik steps down

SHAHZAD Malik stepped down as the mayor of Crawley about seven weeks after his involvement in a road rage brawl.

His resignation came days before a vote of no confidence planned against him on Thursday (9) which has now been cancelled.

The Labour politician who also works as a taxi driver will, however, continue as a councillor.

He was elected mayor only in June.

Malik, who said he was resigning with “deep sadness” admitted that he was involved in the scuffle at the Tushmore roundabout in Crawley, West Sussex, on July 19, but insisted that he acted in “self-defence”.

A video showing Malik punching another taxi driver had gone viral soon after the incident, prompting the Conservative group of the borough council to call for his resignation.

"There is much I regret about that day, but I am not a violent man and at no point did I act other than in self-defence," the councillor for Langley Green and Tushmore ward said.

A police report had been sent to the Crown Prosecution Service for a decision as to whether there should be a prosecution, Sussex Police told the BBC.

The father of three said the police investigation after the scuffle forced him into “a period of silence”.

Confirming Malik’s resignation, a Crawley Borough Council spokesperson said deputy mayor Morgan Flack will discharge the main duties of the mayor till the municipal year ends in May.

Flack is also a Labour councillor.