SMB Success in Landmark Discrimination Claim For Mohammed Arif

The Birmingham County Court has today handed down judgment in favour of long standing SMB client, Mohammed Arif, a veteran Cabinet Member and former Conservative Councillor for St Matthew’s, concluding proceedings relating to his discrimination claim against officers of the former Walsall Conservative Federation (now the Walsall and Bloxwich Association).

Following an eight-day trial in the Birmingham County Court in November and December 2025, His Honour Judge Tindal has today found in favour of Mr Arif, finding that he was the victim of unlawful discrimination and victimisation on the basis of his Pakistani heritage and Muslim beliefs.

In a detailed 150-page judgment, the court found Mr Arif had been discriminated against or victimised in 13 different respects by officers of the former Walsall Conservative Federation between 2015 and 2018. The court found that Mr Arif’s Muslim faith had been “weaponised” against him in a decision not to select him as a local election candidate and the Federation had victimised him in expelling and then re-expelling from both the Federation and the Conservative Party.

Gordon Clough, Legal Director at Simons Muirhead Burton, led the team representing Mr Arif in this matter. He said of today’s judgment:

“This vindication for my client is long overdue. Although the judgment focusses on events in the West Midlands, the bigger scandal is how Mr Arif was treated by the central Conservative Party. He consistently reported his unlawful treatment to CCHQ, only for his complaints to be largely swept under the carpet. The Judge’s findings very closely mirror those reached by an independent investigation into the same allegations in 2021, but the Party failed to take proper action. My client has needlessly faced the expense and emotional anguish of taking his claim to trial and it is now incumbent on the Party to finally take proper disciplinary action against those responsible.”

Reflecting on the verdict, Mohammed Arif stated:
“I would like to thank Gordon Clough, his team at SMB and my barrister Akua Reindorf KC for their advice and guidance since 2016.

We worked as a team and without their confidence and legal advice the case against the national Party would not have settled and this historic victory against Walsall Federation would not have been achieved.

It has been tough 10-year battle and I am glad for my and my family’s health it is over. This fight was not for me alone but for all people in politics across all parties. Strong principles come at a price but there are still people in politics who will stand up and fight for them.

I hope now the people at CCHQ wake up and take strong action against those who victimised and discriminated against me. We raised these issues time and again, but despite three investigations organised by the Party it has taken no action. This proves the belief of many Muslims of Pakistani or British origin in the Conservative Party that Islamophobia and discrimination against Muslims is tolerated”.

The SMB Team was led by Dispute Resolution Legal Director, Gordon Clough, supported by Razi Mireskandari, Lisa Gowers, Shirin Vakilzadeh and Theo Harding. SMB instructed Akua Reindorf KC at Cloisters Chambers.

A further hearing to determine legal costs has been scheduled for Friday, 8 May 2026.

Click here for a copy of the judgment in full.