The deputy leader of the Green Party, Mothin Ali, is facing allegations of misusing taxpayer funds after receiving a special responsibility allowance (SRA) from Leeds City Council that some party members say was improperly allocated. The controversy emerged amid claims from fellow Green councillors who have called for an investigation and called for Ali’s suspension.

Ali was awarded £5,800 in SRAs, which are intended to compensate councillors for additional duties within the council. The Leeds Green group reportedly agreed on May 19 to grant Ali the allowance after he expressed concerns that the national Green Party was not adequately supporting its leadership team. However, Ali has denied making this statement.

The party’s own councillors dispute the justification for the allowance. Cristiana Mirosanu, a Green councillor in Leeds, said the group did not discuss Ali assuming a spokesperson role during the May meeting and only officially agreed to it on August 10. Mirosanu further noted that the responsibilities tied to the spokesperson position were never clarified. Ali, however, asserted that he had performed such duties unofficially prior to the formal designation.

Following these developments, Mirosanu and another Green councillor, Eden Hills, reported the matter to Leeds City Council. The council has launched a review into the circumstances surrounding the award of the allowance. A council spokesperson confirmed that the investigation aims to scrutinize the nomination process for the SRA based on available evidence.

Mirosanu criticized the Green group’s handling of repayment requests, stating that when she and other members sought reimbursement of the funds, they were discouraged by suggestions that doing so would amount to an admission of guilt and therefore would not be accepted. She has urged the party to refund the allowance, issue a public apology, and suspend both Ali and the Leeds Green group leader, Penny Stables, while the investigation proceeds.

Ali’s legal representatives have rejected any wrongdoing, saying the councillor “strongly denies any impropriety” related to the SRA allocation and has consistently fulfilled his responsibilities both as a councillor and as the group’s spokesperson.

The situation highlights internal tensions within the Leeds Green Party and raises questions about the transparency and governance of councillor allowances funded by public money. Leeds City Council’s ongoing review is expected to clarify whether proper procedures were followed.