Investigation clears former chief whip Mark Spencer over sacking of Muslim Tory MP Nusrat Ghani

Rishi Sunak has said no further action will be taken against minister Mark Spencer after a probe could not establish whether he told a female Tory MP she had been sacked because of her Muslim faith.

However, an investigation by the prime minister’s ethics adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, identified some “shortcomings” in Mr Spencer’s behaviour towards Ms Ghani.

Ms Ghani said in response to the report that there was “no criticism or doubt expressed regarding my version of events”.

“Others will have to explain the report noting the ‘omissions’, ‘shortcomings’, ‘incomplete information’, ‘inaccurate briefings’ and claims ‘implied without evidence’ in their actions and story,” she said.

Sir Laurie had been investigating claims made by Tory MP Nusrat Ghani that she was sacked as a government minister after her “Muslimness was raised as an issue”.

Ms Ghani, who lost her position in the February 2020 reshuffle, claimed last January that she had been told by a whip, whom she did not identify, that her “Muslim woman minister status was making colleagues feel uncomfortable”.

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She also said there were concerns she “wasn’t loyal” to the party because she did not do “enough” to defend it against allegations of Islamophobia.

In the immediate aftermath of Ms Ghani’s comments, Mark Spencer, the former chief whip who is now an environment minister, identified himself as the the whip in question but denied her claims.

He described her allegations as “completely false”, adding: “I consider them to be defamatory. I have never used those words attributed to me.”

‘Some shortcomings’

In his investigation into the alleged Islamophobia, Sir Laurie said it was not possible to determine what the then chief whip said to Ms Ghani in two 2020 meetings.

As chief whip Mr Spencer was responsible for enforcing discipline among MPs.

However, Sir Laurie identified “some shortcomings” in how Mr Spencer responded to Ms Ghani’s concerns including that he failed to invite a witness to one of the meetings on 4 March 2020.

He also criticised Mr Spencer for providing Boris Johnson, the then prime minister who vowed to look into Ms Ghani’s claims, with “incomplete” information by failing to mention the meeting on 4 March had taken place – something Mr Spencer has since admitted was an “oversight”.

Sir Laurie said that despite this, he had found “no evidence to suggest that negative comments about Ms Ghani’s faith were either made or had any resonance in the actual discussions that took place in the lead up to and during the government reshuffle in February 2020”.

However, he added that it was “not possible to conclude absolutely that such comments were not made” – but again reiterated that had found “no evidence of comments of the nature described by Ms Ghani being attributed in her case”.

“I do not believe, when considered with the inconclusive evidence from the first two parts of this investigation, that the shortcomings identified in Mr Spencer’s response to Ms Ghani’s concerns amount to a clear failure to meet the standards set out in the Ministerial Code.

“However, there are procedural and pastoral lessons to be drawn from this investigation which should be considered by those engaged in handling ministerial appointments and dismissals in future.

“It is important that all those involved are sensitive to the impact of what they say, consider carefully the content of their messaging, including the manner in which it is delivered, and respond promptly and sympathetically to queries or concerns.”

‘Not acceptable in any way’

Ms Ghani said in a statement: “We all serve at the prime minister’s choosing and there is no shame in a political career ending. But to be told your faith and identity is the reason for it cannot be acceptable in any way.

“The impact of being told this was devastating and my motivation in pursuing the complaint was to ensure it wasn’t buried, but that it ended with me so that no other colleague would have to endure anything similar.

“I would like to thank the prime minister and Sir Laurie for publishing the report after three years.

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“As I said last year, my party is better and bigger than this whole sorry episode which has only been bearable due to the support of so many Conservative colleagues.”

Mr Sunak also thanked Sir Laurie for the report but added: “In the absence of clear evidence, it would not be right to take further action.

“I have spoken to both ministers and encouraged them to heed your advice to pull together in the finest tradition of public service.”

Sir Laurie’s investigation puts an end to months of delays after Ms Ghani initially made her claims in January last year.

The delays were caused partly by the resignation of Sir Laurie’s predecessor, Lord Christopher Geidt, in June 2022 over issues relating to partygate.

Mr Johnson was then without an ethics adviser for a number of months until Mr Sunak became prime minister.

Mr Sunak appointed Sir Laurie in December after coming under criticism for delays to the process, and he took over the investigation in February.