Hounslow Labour has launched a formal investigation into one of its own councillors after his distinctive light blue Lamborghini was photographed parked in disabled bays at the council's civic centre.
Luxury Car in Disabled Spaces
The images, obtained by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, show Councillor Farhaan Rehman's Lamborghini Urus SE SUV occupying disabled parking spaces at Hounslow House on at least two separate occasions. The photographs appear to show no blue badge displayed in the vehicle.
The investigation comes at a sensitive time for Hounslow Council, which has recently faced criticism for its strict enforcement of minor offences against members of the public.
Public Reaction and Political Fallout
The news has drawn sharp criticism from both residents and political opponents. Loretta Alvarez, a mental health nurse and single mother recently fined £1,000 by the council for 'fly-tipping' an envelope, expressed her dismay.
"It would make you think there clearly is a hierarchy," she told reporters. "It would make me feel that he thinks he can get away with it, and probably can because he's a councillor. But me, a normal person, getting on, paying my bills, I'd have to pay that."
Conservative councillor Jack Emsley, representing Chiswick Homefields, called for strong action. He stated that if Councillor Rehman is found to have breached parking rules, he should be deselected as a Labour candidate for the 2026 local elections.
Potential Consequences and Double Standards
While the parking spaces are owned and managed by Hounslow Council, the authority has stated this particular matter is for Hounslow Labour to handle. This contrasts sharply with how similar incidents involving the public are treated.
An ordinary member of the public caught parking in a disabled bay without a blue badge in the borough would face a £160 fixed penalty notice. The council has been particularly active in enforcing parking and traffic offences, having "raked in millions of pounds" from Penalty Charge Notices according to Conservative critics.
Councillor Emsley highlighted this apparent contradiction, saying: "Given the misery Hounslow Labour have caused residents in Chiswick, where they have raked in millions of pounds from PCNs for parking and traffic offences, I expect they will take a similar zero-tolerance approach to Cllr Rehman... Anything less would be an appalling double standard of one rule for Hounslow Labour councillors, and another for everyone else."
Councillor Rehman has not responded to multiple requests for comment from the Local Democracy Reporting Service. No finding of fault has yet been made against him as the Labour investigation continues.
