A BRADFORD councilor who was the country's first female British Muslim lord mayor has been reported to police over alleged financial irregularities.

Councillor Naveeda Ikram, a Labour councillor for Little Horton who became the Lord Mayor of Bradford in 2011, has also been suspended by her party.

A West Yorkshire Police spokesman today said: "We can confirm we have received a report of alleged financial irregularities. Enquiries are at a very early stage and are ongoing."

No further details of the investigation have been given.

A Yorkshire and Humber Labour Party spokeman said: "Naveeda Ikram has been suspended by the Labour Party pending an investigation."

Cllr Ikram has played down the situation.

She said: "An allegation has been made against me and it’s completely just down to normal procedures, that if an allegation is made against a councillor, they are suspended.

"The allegation was not connected to my role as a councillor and the suspension is 'administrative' by the Labour Party.

"I am completely confident I will be exonerated completely.

"The matter of my suspension was confidential and should never have been made public at this stage.

"However, I am still a councillor and still carrying out all my duties as a councillor.

"It’s a Labour Party administrative suspension and that is just procedural. However, I can not comment any further on the allegation as I am myself not aware of the specifics of it."