Voters in Tower Hamlets were allegedly told they would be rewarded in the afterlife if they voted for Lutfur Rahman

Britain’s first elected Muslim mayor has been accused in the High Court of exerting unlawful “spiritual influence” over voters, who were allegedly told that it was their religious duty to vote for him.

Electors were told that they could hope for rewards in the afterlife if they voted for Lutfur Rahman, but might be punished in the next world if they supported his Labour rival, documents filed at the court claim.

Trials for spiritual influence were prominent in Victorian Ireland, but there have been none in recent history.

Mr Rahman, an independent social democrat, was elected in May by 3,000 votes over John Biggs, of Labour, to be the executive mayor of Tower Hamlets in east London. There are 65,000 Muslims in the borough.

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