THE only Asian member of Birmingham’s Cabinet claimed today he had been sacked from his £40,000 a year job because of the colour of his skin.

“This is blatantly racist,” declared former Bond film ‘baddie’ Talib Hussain, the Sparkbrook Liberal Democrat councillor who has been in charge of the city’s local services portfolio for the last 15 months.

Trouble with his party colleagues flared over a decision to end a £6,000 grant to the Bangladeshi Welfare Association. The faction-ridden group has been supported by city taxpayers for the past three years. But officials claimed it did not provide value for public money because of a failure to file accounts or hold an annual meeting.

Coun Hussain, an ex-actor who featured in then Bond film Octopussy, said: “The real reason for sacking me is my colour. It is because I am an Asian and the only Asian member of Birmingham’s Cabinet.”

Liberal Democrat Leader Paul Tilsley today totally refuted the allegation that Coun Hussain had been sacked for racial reasons. He added: “His performance in council debates was lamentable.”

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