THE Labour Party faces accusations it has “betrayed” Hindus by a leading member of the religious community.

Harrow Weald resident Kanti Patel claimed the Conservative Party was more ethnically diverse and posed for photographs alongside Tory candidates on a visit by Boris Johnson last week.

In a letter passed to the Harrow Times, Mr Patel, who has been a member of the Labour Party since 1969, said: “I have lost faith in the Labour Party and its leadership, both locally and nationally.

“Together, they have betrayed the very people, mainly middle class, who have worked hard for years to keep them in position.”

Mr Patel, who claimed he founded the Hindu Forum, praised Tory selectors for picking 36 candidates from ethnic minority groups for the Harrow Council elections and said the party would have a majority of non-white councillors if it retained control of the authority.

Although he had not officially joined the Conservative party, Mr Patel revealed he would vote for its Hindu candidates and would urge other members of his faith to do the same.

However, Labour politicians called the move a “bitter” attempt at revenge for the decision not to select him as a candidate.

Navin Shah, London Assembley Member for Brent and Harrow, said: “We don't believe in tokenism. Our love and affection and our real belief in diversity and representation is nothing new.

“This is something which has always been at the heart of the party.

“This is where we are coming from, as against the Tories whose love for the diverse community comes more from the voters they have and the electoral success they are seeking.

“Kanti Patel is not a community leader. He's just a bitter man who is trying to take revenge.”

The Labour Group said it had eight Hindu councillors representing 30 per cent of the party – a greater ratio than exists in the community.

Mr Patel's letter also criticised Labour candidate for Harrow East Tony McNulty over his expenses.

Mr McNulty was criticised for allowing his parents to live rent-free in his second home.

The letter reads: “Tony McNulty has lost the trust of the people who elected him. Today, the Inland Revenue come down very hard on people if they have made even a minor mistake on their tax return.”

However, Mr McNulty said: “Why didn't he say that to me a week or ten days ago when he signed my nomination papers?”