Nus Ghani at Uckfield College
By Holly Hemming
The Wealden MP, Nusrat Ghani, visited our College this term and gave an assembly on current affairs, her human rights work, how to get involved in politics, and what it is to work in politics as a Muslim woman from a working class background in a system that still favours straight, white men. She explained her role and values as the Conservative MP for Wealden and the importance of engagement with politics for everyone regardless of party affiliation.
Ghani, a highly experienced politician, who has spent years working to improve human rights (including working in Afghanistan for women’s rights) was nominated for the “Women for Peace and Security” award after being involved in investigations into the persecution of people in China: exposing the imprisonment and forced sterilisation of Muslim Uyghurs. The authoritarian government reacted to her and her colleague’s work (in condemning and revealing their inhumane treatment of these people) in early 2022 by sanctioning them, preventing them from entering the country. She indicated that though this experience had been distressing for her she was not discouraged, but more resolved to scrutinise and reveal the unjust actions of the Chinese government.
Nus Ghani with Mr Buschle, Mr Simmons and one of Uckfield's Local Councillors
Ghani also spoke about issues within our political system, addressing the discrimination and prejudice she, and many others experience in a society that is designed for white men from a middle-upper class background (there is still a gender pay gap in the Houses of Commons, 90% of MPs are white and 66% of MPs are men). Discrimination against protected characteristics is a crime, however it is still ubiquitous and appalling. A recent example is the Daily Mail’s article that accused (following statements from unidentified ‘Tories’) Angela Rayner, the Labour deputy leader, of trying to ‘distract’ Boris Johnson with her body, when in actuality she was simply doing her job in engaging in articulate and valid debate. Before becoming Prime Minister, Boris Johnson made bigoted comments on women wearing burkas, likening them to ‘letterboxes’. In the assembly, Ghani spoke about the decision she made in January to hold a government whip to account, despite the abuse she received following her allegations, talking explicitly about the discrimination she experienced in regard to her faith: when she was sacked as a minister in 2020 the whip her told that her ‘Muslimness was raised as an issue’.
Whilst Ghani is of the stance that Britain and our political system require urgent progress, she believes that it is crucial to engage in politics and address the issues rather than choosing to reject the system. Ghani is deputy chair of the 1922 committee, a committee of Conservative backbenchers that liaise with the rest of the party to increase accountability and scrutinise choices made, and is an advocate for creating change from the inside. She answered questions on topics such as mental health in adolescents, the war in Ukraine, (as she is a member of NATO), care for carers and enthusiastically encouraged us and all young people to involve ourselves further in politics to make our voices and values heard.