Tories Divided Over 'Mediocre' Ex-Minister Who Claimed She Was Sacked for Being Muslim

While PM Boris Johnson's cabinet is by far the most ethnically-diverse in British history, including the first Asian and Muslim cabinet ministers, his Conservative Party has previously faced allegations of Islamophobia.

Conservative MPs are divided over former junior minister Nus Ghani claim's she was sacked for her "Muslim-ness".

Nus Ghani told the The Times that an un-named government whip told her she had lost her job as junior transport minister in Prime Minister Boris Johnson's February 2020 reshuffle because her status as Britain's first Muslim woman junior minister "was making colleagues uncomfortable".

Tory Chief Whip Mark Spencer revealed on Saturday that Ghani had made the accusation to him in March 2020, but did not make an official complaint despite his invitation to her to do so.

Pto be included in the report.

These claims relate to a meeting in March 2020. When Ms Ghani raised them she was invited to use the formal CCHQ complaints procedure. She declined to do so.

— Mark Spencer (@Mark_Spencer) January 22, 2022

Ghani responded in a statement on Sunday, arguing the internal party complaints process was not "appropriate" to deal with an issue in government.

My response to No10 statement pic.twitter.com/Fyp08t9pC1

— Nus Ghani MP (@Nus_Ghani) January 23, 2022

Backbench Johnson loyalist Michael Fabricant had plenty of criticism for Ghani and her allegations, not least pointing out that there were currently two "excellent" senior Muslim ministers in the cabinet.

Fabricant stressed he had never known nor cared what faith Ghani was until he heard her claims, but called her "unimaginative and mediocre" and implied she had timed her revelation add to pressure on the embattled PM to resign.

A former minister who had been plotting against #Boris for some time now suddenly blames her sacking on #Islamophobia when (a) there are many excellent Muslim ministers in the Government and (b) she was nice but unimaginative and mediocre.https://t.co/XUiNVAE7Er

— Michael Fabricant 🇬🇧 (@Mike_Fabricant) January 22, 2022

I can genuinely say that I had no idea, or cared, what religion Nus is. She has never made it obvious one way or another. So this all sounds very odd to me.
Anyway, the Chief Whip denies it.
I do know that Nus is no supporter of #Boris so the timing of her remarks is revealing. https://t.co/FbE2NstW8j

— Michael Fabricant 🇬🇧 (@Mike_Fabricant) January 23, 2022

Nus Ghani has been utterly dishonourable in her campaign to destabilise #Boris https://t.co/JofyCJXnDn

— Michael Fabricant 🇬🇧 (@Mike_Fabricant) January 22, 2022

Fabricant also re-tweeted a counter-claim that Ghani was sacked for misleading Parliament about huge budget over-runs on the HS2 high-speed rail project.

A few seconds research would show you that she was dismissed for repeatedly breaching the Ministerial Code by misleading Parliament over HS2 costs. https://t.co/PU934UdzsP

— Brian Corbett (@HD2onPBdotcom) January 23, 2022

South Thanet MP Craig MacKinlay tweeted WhatsApp messages from a reporter for The Times — which broke the story of Ghani's claims — who he said was on a “fishing operation” for allegations against the Whip’s Office.

I’d always respected @thesundaytimes but they’re running fishing operation #MPs who’ve had #LevellingUp grant ‘suggesting’ it’s given/denied on basis of votes/loyalty. An odd idea in my case as I’ve been notably rebellious over past yr. Poor behaviour. I’d expect better pic.twitter.com/qItlOsLx3r

— Craig Mackinlay MP (@cmackinlay) January 22, 2022

Hello

But both the cabinet's Muslim ministers, Health Secretary Sajid Javid and Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi, tweeted in support of Ghani and condemning Islamophobia.

.@Nus_Ghani is a friend and a credit to the Conservative Party.

This is a very serious matter which needs a proper investigation. I would strongly support her in making a formal complaint - she must be heard.

— Sajid Javid (@sajidjavid) January 23, 2022

There is no place for islamophobia or any form of racism in our @Conservatives party. @Nus_Ghani is a friend, a colleague & a brilliant parliamentarian. This has to be investigated properly & racism routed out. #standwithNus

— Nadhim Zahawi (@nadhimzahawi) January 22, 2022

And Wycombe MP Steve Baker, former chair of the pro-Brexit European Research Group, also backed Ghani — although he later re-tweeted Spencer's rebuttal.

That Nus could be treated like this is completely intolerable.

I value @Nus_Ghani as a great colleague and I'm appalled. We must get to the bottom of it. https://t.co/UvJ4sErYnO

— Steve Baker MP FRSA (@SteveBakerHW) January 22, 2022

Justice Secretary Dominic Raab Told Sky News' Trevor Phillips on Sunday morning that Ghani's allegations were "incredibly serious," but insisted his party had "zero tolerance for discrimination or Islamophobia."

"We have absolutely zero tolerance for any discrimination of Islamophobia in the Conservative Party".

Deputy PM Dominic Raab says Nusrat Ghani's claim that she was sacked as a minister because of her Muslim faith are "incredibly serious".#Phillips https://t.co/T9mK8F9oiq pic.twitter.com/O9BKEHGRbb

— Trevor Phillips on Sunday (@RidgeOnSunday) January 23, 2022