THE ASIAN INDEPENDENT UK
Bal Ram Sampla
Geopolitics
In January 2024, Labour councillor Hina Mir was convicted of a serious crime that shocked many people. She was found guilty of employing an illegal worker and was fined £40,000. This case raises important questions about how people in positions of power should behave.
Hina Mir is a councillor for Hounslow, West London. She is also a qualified solicitor, which means she is a legal professional who should know the law very well. In 2020, she even served as the deputy mayor of Hounslow. This makes her actions even more troubling because she held a position of public trust.
What Did She Do?
Mir hired a woman named Himanshi Gongley from India to work as a nanny for her two children. The problem was that Gongley’s student visa had expired in March 2023, which meant she no longer had the legal right to work in the UK. Despite this, Mir employed her and paid her £1,200 per month in cash.
Paying someone “cash in hand” means the money was given directly without going through proper channels. This allows employers to avoid paying taxes and national insurance, and it means workers have no paper trail to prove their employment. This leaves workers extremely vulnerable.
How Was This Discovered?
The situation came to light in August 2024 when Gongley flagged down a police car. She told officers that she had been physically abused and was being forced to work on call 24 hours a day, six days a week. This means she was expected to be available almost all the time with very little rest.
When the case went to court, Mir tried to defend herself by claiming that Gongley was not an employee at all. She said the young woman was just a “social visitor” who came to her house to “play video games, to watch TV and to chill.” However, Judge Stephen Hellman did not believe this explanation. He found many problems with Mir’s story and ruled that the nanny was telling the truth.
There are several reasons why Mir’s actions were deeply wrong:
1.Breaking Immigration Laws
Employing someone without the legal right to work is a criminal offense. It undermines the immigration system and can help people stay in the country illegally.
2. Exploiting a Vulnerable Person Because Gongley had no legal status, she had very few rights. She could not complain to authorities without risking deportation. This put her in an extremely weak position, and Mir took advantage of this.
3. Cash Payments
By paying cash, Mir avoided her legal responsibilities as an employer. She did not pay proper taxes or provide employment protections. This left Gongley with no sick pay, no pension contributions, and no proof of her work.
4. Abuse of Power
As a councillor and a solicitor, Mir was in a position of authority and trust. She was supposed to uphold the law, not break it. Her actions showed a complete disregard for the responsibilities of her position.
5. Poor Working Conditions
The allegations that Gongley worked 24 hours on call for six days a week suggest she was overworked and had little freedom or rest time.
In December 2024, Mir lost an appeal against her conviction. The court upheld the £40,000 fine and ordered her to pay an additional £3,620 in court costs.
What happened after the conviction has caused even more controversy. Despite being convicted of a criminal offense, Mir was not immediately suspended by the Labour Party. In fact, in May 2025, she was actually appointed as Chair of the Housing and Environment Scrutiny Panel – a senior position on the council.
This appointment sparked outrage. Many people could not understand how someone with a criminal conviction for exploiting a vulnerable worker could be given such an important role. Opposition councillors and members of the public called for her to step down.
Finally, in December 2025 – nearly two years after her initial conviction – the Labour Party suspended Mir from the party. This means she can no longer officially represent Labour. However, she continues to serve as a councillor, as party suspension does not automatically remove someone from their elected position. Conservative councillors continue to call for her full resignation from the council.
The Bigger Picture
This case is not just about one councillor breaking the law. It highlights a broader problem of how some employers exploit vulnerable workers, especially those without legal status. People without proper immigration papers are afraid to report abuse because they fear being deported. This fear makes them easy targets for exploitation.
When someone in a position of power and trust behaves this way, it is particularly damaging. Councillors and other public officials are supposed to set an example and protect vulnerable people, not take advantage of them.
Conclusion
The case of Hina Mir shows what happens when someone abuses their position and takes advantage of a vulnerable person. By employing an illegal worker, paying cash, and allegedly subjecting her to poor working conditions and abuse, Mir broke both the law and the trust placed in her as a public official.
Perhaps equally troubling is what happened after her conviction. The fact that she was given a senior council position in May 2025 – months after being convicted of a criminal offense – raises serious questions about accountability in local government. It took nearly two years from her conviction for the Labour Party to finally suspend her, and even then, she remains in her elected position.
This case serves as an important reminder that everyone deserves fair treatment at work, regardless of their immigration status. It also shows that people in positions of power must be held accountable when they break the law – and that this accountability should be swift and meaningful, not delayed for years.
Reference
1.https://www.lawsociety.ie/gazette/top-stories/2025/december/solicitor-fined-for-breach-of–immigration-law/
2.https://thelogicalindian.com/22-year-old-indian-students-suicidal-abuse-by-uk-labour-councillor-hina-mir-triggers-40000-fine/
3.https://nripress.com/hina-mir-uk-labour-councillor-fined-40000-for-illegal-work/
4.https://www.connectedtoindia.com/labour-party-leader-illegally-hires-indian-student-as-nanny-fined-gbp-40000/
