Sayeeda Warsi

Sayeeda Hussain Warsi, Baroness Warsi is a British Conservative politician. She is the first Muslim woman minister in the UK. 
==Political career==
Warsi is unelected, having stood for parliament in the 2005 general election but losing to her Labour Party opponent. She was subsequently created a life peer in 2007, becoming Baroness Warsi, and joining David Cameron's Cabinet, although without any prior parliamentary experience.Profile: Baroness Warsi It was felt by some, including Warsi herself, that her appointment was, or at least appeared to be tokenistic.Baroness Warsi: The rise and fall of a pioneer politician BBC News, 4 September, 2012Who was Lady Warsi? LabourList, 11 August, 2014The Warsi problem is of Cameron’s own making conservativehome 5 August 2014
Warsi has complained that too many high ranking Tories have a privileged background.Tory class war continues as Sayeeda Warsi calls for end to "Eton Mess"
In August 2014, she resigned from her position as Foreign Office Minister over the UK government's pro-Israeli stance on the conflict in Gaza.Baroness Warsi quits as Foreign Office minister over Gaza, BBC News, 5 August 2014.
Warsi resigned the Conservative Whip in the House of Lords in September 2024, stating: “My decision is a reflection of how far right my party has moved and the hypocrisy and double standards in its treatment of different communities..."Warsi resigns Tory whip, saying party has moved too far to right The Guardian, 26 September 2024
==U-turn==
In 2005 Warsi's campaign issued leaflets condemning Labour for allowing homosexuality to be "promoted" to school children, equalising the age of consent for homosexuals and heterosexuals, and for promoting gay marriage. She later did an about-face and began promoting civil partnerships herself.Tory peer who said schools ‘promote homosexuality’ says Islamophobia is seen as socially acceptable
==Religious headscratchers==
Somehow Warsi claims that there is a "proper" (however defined) place for religion in public, that strengthened religious identities "ensure social harmony":Baroness Warsi’s rallying cry against the Secularist Front of Britannia
Is this reasonable? Intolerance leads to, well, disharmony.
#Some religious heritages encourage tolerance (most branches of Buddhism for example) 
#Other religious heritages lead to intolerance (see Iran, Saudi Arabia, The Taliban among others).
Faith inevitably leads to the assumption, that whatever contradicts 'The Faith' is wrong and that can lead to intolerance. 
The British Humanist Association sees her remarks as, "outdated, unwarranted and divisive" and their chief executive Andrew Copson added, "In an increasingly non-religious and, at the same time, diverse society, we need policies that will emphasise what we have in common as citizens rather than what divides us". 
Militant secularisation threat to religion, says Warsi
===Secularism and theocracy===
In February 2012, after secularists objected to an official visit from Benedict XVI,Why do you think? Warsi railed against a perceived "militant" secularism taking hold of society. Citing religion being "sidelined and downgraded in the public sphere" and religious symbols being removed from public view, she compared this "militant" secularisation to totalitarian regimes.Sayeeda Warsi, secularism and the Pope By contrast the secularist Copenhagen Declaration on Religion in Public Life addresses issues like freedom of conscience and the right of all to participate in the democratic process which is hardly totalitarian. Proponents of religion in the public sphere do not accept proportionate time for groups like the National Secular Society to state the case against religion or for the British Humanist Association to explain alternative secular moral systems in the public sphere. Religion in public without the opposing view is more totalitarian than the secularist position. The National Secular Society fears the introduction of "theocratic" laws reducing freedom for secularists and the British Humanist Association is also uneasy because other politicians with faith agendas are prominent in the government.Are parliament’s theocrats about to have their day?Baroness Warsi becomes Minister for Faith and Communities Despite this different people saw her removal from the Cabinet as a demotion. Yet another view was that the appointment of a Muslim showed declining Christian influence in the UK.
Warsi fought to reduce secularism in the UK and Europe but she swam against a strong tide.Baroness Warsi and her gang of pious politicos are out of step with the nation In late summer 2012 Warsi was appointed Minister of Faith. After Warsi's resignation the post was given to Evangelical Christian, Eric Pickles who has also been accused of misrepresenting secularism.Minister of State for Faith and CommunitiesDivisive Eric Pickles Should Not Be Faith Minister And Role Should Be Abolished, Say SecularistsEric Pickles's Appointment as Faith Minister Should Give All Secularists Cause for Concern As of 2025 the current Minister of Faith is Labour peer Lord Wajid Khan.
===Christianity===
Warsi objected to the European constitution having no mention of God or Christianity, arguing that Christianity has played a defining role in shaping European society.We stand side by side with the Pope in fighting for faith Warsi visited the Vatican in early 2012 and discussed with Pope Benedict XVI how she hoped Christianity can be brought back to a "central role in British public life." She did all this despite a poll by Mori finding 74% of UK Christians think religion should not specially influence public policy.Warsi takes battle for Christianity to the Vatican
===Islam===
Warsi believes that Islamophobia appears to be socially acceptable in British society, and criticises stereotyping of Muslims as either extremists or "moderate" Muslims.Lady Warsi claims Islamophobia is now socially acceptable in Britain Warsi's speech was not welcomed in the Tory Party and may have led to her demotion from the Cabinet.Baroness Warsi's departure from the cabinet comes as no surprise to Bradford Warsi’s efforts to prevent people distinguishing between moderate and extreme Muslims may further be counter-productive as many UK people do not know which Muslim is moderate and which is extremist.Warsi's speech is welcome, though her reluctance to divide Muslims into moderate and extremist camps is misguided 
Warsi has complained Muslims do not speak out enough against radical IslamSayeeda Warsi's resignation was brave, but was it wise? but has also supported Hamas.Baroness Warsi was over-promoted, incapable and incompetent
==Marriage==
Warsi married her second husband, Iftikhar Azam, in 2009. Shortly after the wedding, claims emerged from the family of Azam's ex-wife, Massarat Bi, that she (who does not understand English) was unaware that Azam was divorcing her until after the divorce had been finalised. These claims were publicised by that bastion of fair reporting about Muslims in Great Britain, the Daily Mail, along with accounts of violent behaviour towards Bi and the Mail report by members of Bi's family during the Mail's investigation.Read it if you wish.
==External links==
*Official website
==References==
Category:British people
Category:British politicians
Category:Living people
Category:Members of Parliament (UK)
Category:Muslims