Tory minister Nusrat Ghani today became the first Muslim woman to speak from the Commons Despatch Box.
Ms Ghani was promoted to be a Transport Minister at last week’s reshuffle and today answered questions on her brief for the first time.
The Wealden MP answered questions about accessibility for disabled people at train stations in her debut appearance.
Tory minister Nusrat Ghani today became the first Muslim woman to speak from the Commons Despatch Box (pictured)
Ahead of the questions session, Ms Ghani said: ‘Today marks an important moment for me, as the first female Muslim Minister to stand at the Despatch Box in the House of Commons.
‘As many people know, this year is also a significant milestone in this country, as 2018 marks 100 years of votes for women.
‘I hope that today, young people can see that regardless of their background, heritage or faith, there will be a warm welcome on the green benches – and no matter where you are from, you can achieve your dreams and ambitions.
‘I am thrilled to be a Minister at the Department for Transport, which is working hard to encourage more diversity in the transport sector.
‘I’m excited to meet head on the opportunities and challenges that this new role this will bring.’
Ms Ghani (second right) was one of eight female MPs promoted into government for the first time at last week’s reshuffle. They were (1) Amanda Milling, (2) Kelly Tolhurst (3) Wendy Morton and (4) Mims Davies, with Theresa May and (5) Parliamentary Private Secretary Seema Kennedy, and whips (6) Rebecca Harris, (7) Nusrat Ghani and (8) Jo Churchill
Labour’s Shahid Malik was the first Muslim minister to speak from the Despatch Box in 2007 after Gordon Brown appointed him to the Department for International Development.
Ms Ghani (file image), 45, was first elected to Parliament in 2015 and is seen as one of a new generation of Conservative politicians.
Tory peer Sayeeda Warsi in 2010 became the first Muslim woman to attend Cabinet. She spoke from the Despatch Box in the House of Lords as a Foreign Office Minister.
Ms Ghani, 45, was first elected to Parliament in 2015 and is seen as one of a new generation of Conservative politicians.
She first rose to prominence in Parliament working on the Home Affairs Select Committee investigations into terrorism and hate crime.
The daughter of immigrants from Kashmir, Nusrat, 43, grew up on a Birmingham council estate with five brothers and a sister. Her father, a former headmaster, worked in a biscuit factory.
The first woman in her family to go to university, she studied international relations and politics at Birmingham before doing a Master’s at Leeds.
Before entering politics, she worked at Goldman Sachs before being recruited by the BBC World Service to head their communications in Burma, Russia and Afghanistan.
She lives in west London with husband David Wheeldon, Sky’s director of policy and public affairs, and their young daughter Farah. In her spare time, she skis and does fun runs.