Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Sunday, Jun 01, 2025

UK inquiry finds no clear evidence of Islamophobia in minister's 2020 sacking

UK inquiry finds no clear evidence of Islamophobia in minister's 2020 sacking

An ethics adviser to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Thursday he had found no clear evidence of Islamophobia to back up allegations by a lawmaker that she was sacked from her ministerial job in 2020 partly because of her Muslim faith.
Nusrat Ghani, 50, said last year that she had been told by a whip - an enforcer of parliamentary discipline - that her Muslim faith was making colleagues uncomfortable and was a factor in her sacking as junior transport minister in February 2020.

Then Prime Minister Boris Johnson ordered an inquiry into the allegations in January 2022.

Announcing the inquiry's findings, Laurie Magnus, Sunak's independent adviser on ministers' interests, said Ghani's concerns were "very serious", but that he was unable to determine what exactly transpired in meetings between her and the government's then chief whip Mark Spencer.

He said he had received conflicting evidence from each of them and that there was no evidence to suggest that negative comments about Ghani's faith were made, but also that it was not possible to conclude they were not.

"In the absence of clear evidence, it would not be right to take further action," Sunak wrote in a reply to Magnus.

The Conservative Party has previously faced accusations of Islamophobia, and a report in 2021 criticised it over how it dealt with complaints of discrimination against Muslims.

Ghani said Magnus's report showed her evidence had been consistent, and there was no criticism expressed about her version of the events.

"We all serve at the Prime Minister's choosing and there is no shame in a political career ending," Ghani said in response to the report. "But to be told your faith and identity is the reason for it cannot be acceptable in any way."

Spencer did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Both he and Ghani are currently ministers in Sunak's government.
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
Iranian Revolutionary Guard Founder Warns Against Trusting Regime in Nuclear Talks
UAE Offers Free ChatGPT Plus Subscriptions to Citizens
Lebanon Initiates Plan to Disarm Palestinian Factions
Iran and U.S. Make Limited Progress in Nuclear Talks
The Daily Debate: The Fall of the Dollar — Strategic Reset or Economic Self-Destruction?
Trump Administration's Tariff Policies and Dollar Strategy Spark Global Economic Debate
OpenAI Acquires Jony Ive’s Startup for $6.5 Billion to Build a Revolutionary “Third Core Device”
Turkey Weighs Citizens in Public as Erdoğan Launches National Slimming Campaign
Saudi-Spanish Business Forum Commences in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia and Spain Sign MoU to Boost SME Sectors
UK Suspends Trade Talks with Israel Amid Gaza Offensive
Iran and U.S. Set for Fifth Round of Nuclear Talks Amid Rising Tensions
Russia Expands Military Presence Near Finland Amid Rising Tensions
Indian Scholar Arrested in Crackdown Over Pakistan Conflict Commentary
Israel Eases Gaza Blockade Amid Internal Dispute Over Military Strategy
President Biden’s announcement of advanced prostate cancer sparked public sympathy—but behind closed doors, Democrats are in panic
A Chinese company made solar tiles that look way nicer than regular panels!
Indian jet shootdown: the all-robot legion behind China’s PL-15E missiles
The Chinese Dragon: The True Winner in the India-Pakistan Clash
Australia's Venomous Creatures Contribute to Life-Saving Antivenom Programme
The Spanish Were Right: Long Working Hours Harm Brain Function
Did Former FBI Director Call for Violence Against Trump? Instagram Post Sparks Uproar
US and UAE Partner to Develop Massive AI Data Center Complex
Apple's $95 Million Siri Settlement: Eligible Users Have Until July 2 to File Claims
US and UAE Reach Preliminary Agreement on Nvidia AI Chip Imports
President Trump and Elon Musk Welcomed by Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim with Cybertruck Convoy
Strong Warning Issued: Do Not Use General Chatbots for Medical, Legal, or Educational Guidance
Saudi Arabia Emerges as Global Tech Magnet with U.S. Backing and Trump’s Visit
This was President's departure from Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince personally escorted him back to the airport.
NVIDIA and Saudi Arabia Launch Strategic Partnership to Establish AI Centers
Trump Meets Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara in Historic Encounter
Trump takes a blow torch to the neocons and interventionists while speaking to the Saudis
US and Saudi Arabia Sign Landmark Agreements Across Multiple Sectors
Why Saudi Arabia Rolled Out a Purple Carpet for Donald Trump Instead of Red
Elon Musk Joins Trump Meeting in Saudi Arabia
Trump says it would be 'stupid' not to accept gift of Qatari plane
Quantum Computing Threatens Bitcoin Security
Michael Jordan to Serve as Analyst for NBA Games
×