Man charged over eggs thrown at Baroness Warsi

A man has been charged with a public order offence after Baroness Warsi was pelted with eggs in the street, police said today.

The attack took place when Lady Warsi, now chair of the Conservative Party, visited Luton on November 30 last year.

Then shadow minister for community cohesion and social action, she was touring the Bury Park area with a Tory election candidate when she was targeted.

At least one egg hit her and soiled her jacket.

After the incident, she conducted a question and answer session with local residents with egg still in her hair.

Gavin Reid, 23, of Green Close, Luton, was charged on Friday with an offence under the Public Order Act, Bedfordshire Police said.

He will appear at Luton and South Bedfordshire Magistrates' Court this Friday.

Lady Warsi, who became minister without portfolio last week, is the first female Muslim Cabinet minister.

The Dewsbury-born former solicitor replaced Eric Pickles as chair of the Tory party after the General Election.

Nigel Huddleston, the Conservatives' prospective Parliamentary candidate for Luton South who was with Lady Warsi at the time of the egg attack, was defeated in the election by Labour candidate Gavin Shuker.