Baroness Warsi: Nusrat Ghani’s claim that she was sacked as a minister because of her Islamic faith is “disturbing,” according to her conservative counterpart | politics news

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The former Conservative party co-chairman said a female lawmaker’s claim that she had been sacked as a minister because of her Muslim faith was “disturbing”.

Baroness Warsi, who was also a former Conservative minister, told Sky News she was sending a “shirk” deep into the necks of British Muslims to learn “that this is the thing that can happen in the heart of government”.

At the weekend, Conservative MP Nusrat Ghani said a whip told her, who did not identify her, that “her Islam was raised as an issue” at a meeting in Downing Street.

Photo: Nusrat Ghani was removed from the post of Minister of Transport in a cabinet reshuffle in February 2020

She said she was also told that her “status as a Muslim minister made her colleagues feel uncomfortable” and that there were concerns “that I was not loyal to the party because I had not done enough to defend the party against allegations of Islamophobia”.

Ghani was removed from the post of transport minister in a cabinet reshuffle in February 2020.

On Monday morning, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the Cabinet Office’s investigation into the matter and said he was taking the matter “extremely seriously”.

The Prime Minister told reporters: “We take these allegations very seriously, I took them very seriously when they were brought up with me 18 months ago…I am very happy that there is an investigation now.

“I can’t say more than that, really, about that.”

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1:54 pm on allegations of Islamophobia

Speaking to Sky News political editor Beth Rigby, Baroness Warsi welcomed the prime minister’s announcement of an investigation but said she hoped “a change of culture will come from behind it”.

The former Conservative party co-chair said she was “not surprised” by Ms Ghani’s claims “for two reasons”.

“First, because what happened to Nos Ghani is an open secret in Westminster – I and many colleagues have been aware of this for months and the way I struggled to make her voice heard.

“But second, because the pattern in Nos’ case is very similar to what I’ve seen in hundreds and hundreds of other complaints made to the party about Islamophobia.

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“The pattern is that the issue of Islamophobia is seen as much less serious than other forms of bigotry, and that when the issue is raised the response is very aggressive and colleagues feel threatened and ostracized and feel that it will be a career cause of the end.

“They always push this into the bureaucracy and the burden is placed on the complainant and the victim rather than those who are told about this deal with it proactively – and no action is usually taken until the media highlights it.

“And all of these things seem to hold true with almost every case we’ve seen at the party and they match up with Noss’ case.”

Photo: Baroness Warsi says ‘culture change’ is needed

Baroness Warsi added: “The claim that Islamophobia is at the heart of government is even more disturbing…because in the end, the Conservative Party will have an impact on its members – and there are, and what, a few hundred British Muslims who are members of the Conservative Party.”

“But the government works for the benefit of all its citizens and there are nearly four million British Muslims in this country who are looking at the government now and thinking ‘Is it possible for a minister to lose her job just because she converts to Islam?’” “

“And that sends a shiver down their spine to think this is the kind of thing that can happen in the heart of government.”

In the wake of Ghani’s comments, whip boss Mark Spencer said it was the whip in question.

Photo: Mark Spencer denied Nusrat Ghani’s allegations that she was fired from her cabinet position because of her faith.

He described her allegations as “totally false”, adding: “I consider them defamatory. I have never used those words attributed to me.”

Asked if Mr Spencer could remain in office while the investigation is underway, the prime minister said: “This is something I take personally very seriously, I have taken it very seriously for the past 18 months, we will have to wait and see what comes out of the investigation.”

Ghani also claimed that when she raised the matter directly with the Prime Minister, he told her that he could not participate.

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A spokesperson for Number 10 said: “At the time these allegations were first made, the Prime Minister recommended that she file a formal complaint with the CCHQ. She did not accept this offer.”

“The prime minister has now asked the officials to verify the facts about what happened.

“As he said at the time, the prime minister is taking these allegations very seriously.”

In response to the start of the investigation, Ms. Ghani said she welcomed the news.

“The terms of reference for the investigation must include everything that was said in Downing Street and the whip,” she wrote on Twitter.

“I look forward to seeing the terms of reference.”

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