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Baroness Warsi hails 'humbling' Cabinet appointment
13 May 2010Britain's first female Muslim Cabinet minister hailed a "humbling" moment today as she took her seat at the Government's top-table.
Baroness Warsi ditched the pinstriped traditions of her predecessors in the party as she posed outside Downing Street in traditional Islamic garments after the coalition Cabinet's historic first meeting.
Gamely removing her coat at the request of photographers and hanging it on a railing outside 10 Downing Street, she braved the chill morning air to reveal a pink and purple shalwar kameez.
She then told reporters: "To be born as the daughter of an immigrant mill worker in a mill town in Yorkshire, to have the privilege of serving in Cabinet at such an important time in Britain's history, I think it is terribly humbling."
Lady Warsi's bright outfit made a sharp contrast with the dark suits sported by most of the other, predominantly male, Cabinet members.
Like many of the new ministers, she described today's meeting as "very constructive".
She said: "There was a great amount of goodwill around the table. There's lots of hard work to do and some serious decisions to be taken."
She replaced Eric Pickles as chair of the Tory Party.
The Dewsbury-born former solicitor was shadow minister for community cohesion when the Tories were in opposition and vice-chairman of the party from 2005 to 2007.
Reader views (8)
She is less than useless. Her appointment shows that the government are not taking our present predicament seriously.
- Dave, London, UK, 13/05/2010 18:31
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@ - Davey_bouy, Chertsey, 13/05/2010 16:35
Your not a contender is you have been working for 73 years and call yourself Bouy.
- Ben, London, 13/05/2010 18:12
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Another waste of space, so many talented and able British Asians out there and they choose her.
- Bruce, London, 13/05/2010 17:54
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Ignoring the sour grapes comments (kinda) - I wish the members of the cabinet (all of them) and the incoming government generally all the best of good luck in sorting out the mess they were left with.
- Rogan, Irving, 13/05/2010 17:02
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I'm sure she's lovely and very competent, but cabinet members should be MPs who are accountable to their constituency and the electorate.
I was hoping for an end to the appointment of unelected ministers like Lady Mandelson and the inappropriately-named Lord Adonis. Seems I was over-optimistic.
- Nobby Clark, Perth, the Scottish one, 13/05/2010 17:00
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How does one become a Baron or Baroness,I have been here for seventy three years working like a slave and nobody ever asked me.? whatever are the qualifications.
- Davey_bouy, Chertsey, 13/05/2010 16:35
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As well as serving mainstream Britain, the Baroness can exert a very real and positive influence in improving the lives of many Muslim women in Britain.
By making it clear just how unacceptable forced marriage is, and even the pressurising of young girls who fearfully marry strangers in another country, on pain of being excluded from their families if they don't.
Also, in improving the lot of many young girls brought over here for arranged marriages, who end up being treated badly by their in-laws and used as domestic drudges. They're prevented from learning the English language once here, (and even from going out), as it stops them from having any independence. It also prevents their elderly in-laws from having to learn the language, so no English at all is spoken in the home.
Baroness Warsi, seen here in traditional Pakistani dress, must make use of her high position to bring about much needed positive changes in some aspects of Pakistani heritage people in Britain.
- Nita, Birmingham, 13/05/2010 16:19
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A humble woman- with much to be humble about.
- M Miguel, Old Isleworth, 13/05/2010 16:04
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