Head of Conservative Muslim Forum says Boris Johnson must explain why he sacked Nusrat Ghani

‘The prime minister must come out and say why did he sack the minister,’ Lord Sheikh says - arguing controversy ‘could be simply solved’

The head of the Conservative Muslim Forum has called on Boris Johnson to explain whether Nusrat Ghani was sacked for her “Muslimness” – after he ducked questions.

Mohamed Sheikh said the prime minister could clear up whether the junior transport minister was dismissed “because of her incompetence” or whether there were “other reasons”.

“Why did that happen? I think the prime minister must come out and say why did he sack the minister,” Lord Sheikh said.

Asked if the issue “could be simply solved”, he replied: “Absolutely. He needs to be very clear about it. As a prime minister, it’s his privilege. He can bring people on or he can sack people.”

The forum chair also demanded clear terms of reference for the Cabinet Office inquiry into the controversy, moments after No 10 was unable to say what those terms will be.

“The report must be made public in full. I don’t want a scenario where bits of the report are truncated,” Lord Sheikh told BBC Radio 4. “And if any anyone is found to have behaved badly, that person must be held to account.”

No 10 was unable to say whether the full findings of the inquiry will be published and has rebuffed Labour calls for the chief whip, Mark Spencer, to be investigated under the ministerial code.

Ms Ghani has alleged that, when she was sacked in 2020, Tory whips told her that her “Muslim woman minister status was making colleagues feel uncomfortable”.

Mr Spencer identified himself as the person accused of making the remarks, but said: “These accusations are completely false and I consider them to be defamatory.”

Quizzed on a hospital visit, Mr Johnson declined to back Mr Spencer, saying: “We must wait and see what the investigation produces.”

He said he was “very glad there’s an investigation taking place now,” – having refused to set one up, nearly two years ago – but claimed: “I can’t say more, really, about it.”

Ms Ghani welcomed the announcement, but said she needed to see the terms of reference to have confidence in it.

“The terms of reference of the inquiry must include all that was said in Downing Street and by the whip,” the Conservative backbencher argued.

The anti-fascism campaign group Hope Not Hate said the Equalities and Human Rights Commission should open an investigation into Islamophobia within the Tory party.

“Islamophobia runs right through the Conservative party, from its grassroots activists to its most senior figures. This has real life consequences for Muslim communities in the UK,” said Nick Lowles, the group’s chief executive.

Lord Sheikh also hit out at the failure of almost all Conservative MPs – apart from Ms Ghani’s fellow Muslims Sajid Javid and Nadhim Zahawi – to speak out about the controversy.

“I feel it’s bit lacking on their part – not to speak out with regard to this serious issue,” he said.