A Cabinet Office investigation has been launched into claims from a Conservative MP that she was sacked as a minister because of her Muslim faith.
Nusrat Ghani was sacked as transport minister in a February 2020 reshuffle.
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Ms Ghani said she was told by a whip, who she did not identify, that her “Muslimness was raised as an issue” at a meeting in Downing Street.
She said she was also told that her “Muslim woman minister status was making colleagues feel 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”.
Chief whip Mark Spencer later said he was the whip in question, but has described her allegations as “completely false”.
He added: “I consider them to be defamatory. I have never used those words attributed to me.”
Ms Ghani has also claimed that when she raised the matter directly with the PM, he told her he could not get involved.
Number 10 says PM told MP to make formal complaint
Now, Downing Street has confirmed that Boris Johnson has asked the Cabinet Office to carry out an inquiry into the allegations.
“At the time these allegations were first made, the prime minister recommended to her that she make a formal complaint to CCHQ. She did not take up this offer,” a Number 10 spokesperson said.
“The prime minister has now asked officials to establish the facts about what happened.
“As he said at the time, the prime minister takes these claims very seriously.”
Responding to the…
Source : skynews
