Written by Amy Beecham
Nusrat Ghani, a former junior transport minister, has welcomed an investigation into her claims she was fired from the role because of her ‘Muslimness’.
An investigation into Islamaphobia within the Conservative party has been launched by Boris Johnson after Nusrat Ghani, the MP for Wealden, alleged that she was told her Muslim faith was “making colleagues feel uncomfortable” after asking why she was fired as a minister.
The former transport minister, who exited the role in 2020, told The Sunday Times that she had asked a Tory party whip about the decision and was told her religion was discussed at a Downing Street meeting. The former transport minister also said she was told there were concerns she was not doing enough to defend the Tories against allegations of Islamophobia.
She said: “I was told that at the reshuffle meeting in Downing Street that ‘Muslimness’ was raised as an ‘issue’, that my ‘Muslim woman minister’ status was making colleagues uncomfortable and that there were concerns ‘that I wasn’t loyal to the party as I didn’t do enough to defend the party against Islamophobia allegations’.
In a Twitter statement, Ghani wrote: “Not a day has gone by without thinking about what I was told and wondering why I was in politics, while hoping for the government to take this seriously. Those who have not had their identity and faith questioned cannot fully appreciate what it does to you. Now is not the time I would have chosen for this to come out and I have pursued every avenue and process I thought available to me, but many people have known what happened.”
Cabinet minister Nadhim Zahawi led calls for an investigation, saying there was “no place for Islamophobia or any form of racism” in the Conservative party after his colleague’s allegations. “This has to be investigated properly and racism routed out,” he said.
On Sunday, Dominic Raab, deputy prime minister, said there would be no inquiry, but senior cabinet minister Sajid Javid, alongside Zahawi, made it clear an investigation was essential. By Tuesday 25 January, the prime minister had bowed to pressure and launched an investigation into Ghani’s claims, having previously told her back in 2020 to start a formal complaint with the party about the way she was treated.
“The prime minister has now asked officials to establish the facts about what happened,” a Number 10 spokesperson said. “At the time these allegations were first made, the prime minister recommended to her that she make a formal complaint to CCHQ [Conservative Campaign Headquarters]. She did not take up this offer.” Stylist has contacted Number 10 for comment.
In response, Ghani tweeted: “As I said to the prime minister last night, all I want is for this to be taken seriously and for him to investigate. I welcome his decision to do that now.”
The investigation comes eight months after a report into Islamophobia in the Conservative party was been branded a “whitewash” after it rejected claims of institutional racism and declined to pass judgement on whether Boris Johnson breached a code of conduct by comparing Muslim women in burqas to “letterboxes”.
Following the inquiry, which warned “anti-Muslim sentiment remains a problem”, the Conservatives apologised to victims of Islamophobia and racism in the party and promised to act.
Images: Getty
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