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Mar 24

Sayeeda Warsi: Scottish Conservative Party Conference Speech

INTRODUCTION

As Tory Chairman I spend a lot of my time taking on unions – namely the ones that fund Labour’s campaigns.

But today I want to come out and defend a Union.

One which has benefitted us all for centuries.

One which is key to our success as a nation.

And one which we must work flat-out to keep intact:

The Union between Scotland, Wales, England and Northern Ireland.

That is why I wholeheartedly support the launch of the Conservative Friends of the Union group.

Which couldn’t have a better champion than the dynamic, enthusiastic, vibrant and hugely patriotic Ruth Davidson.

Now we’ve all heard – and will continue to hear – the reasons why we should preserve our Union.

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Mar 22

Chairman visits Waltham Cross, Milton Keynes and Cambridge on campaign tour

On Thursday Baroness Warsi began a day of campaigning in North London. Arriving at Waltham Cross Station, the Chairman was met by Cllr Paul Mason, Leader of Broxbourne Borough Council.

Sayeeda campaigns in Waltham Cross

Sayeeda’s first visit of the day was to Waltham Cross Conservative Club, where she met with MP Charles Walker, Chairman of the Conservative Councillors Association Cllr Robert Gordon and by-election candidate Dee Hart. The Chairman joined volunteers in telephone canvassing for Dee’s campaign before leaving for Milton Keynes.

Her next stop was at the Bletchley Conservative Club to launch the Milton Keynes Local Government Campaign. The Chairman also met with local press and joined Conservative members for a Q&A session.

After leaving Bletchley, Sayeeda travelled to Cambridge where she was welcomed at the Cambridge City Conservative Association dinner.

Mar 16

Chairman visits Lincoln on campaign tour

Sayeeda meets with Conservatives on the campaign trail

Today, Sayeeda continued her Chairman’s campaign tour of the country with a visit to Lincoln.

Met by Lincoln Conservatives, the Chairman discussed local campaign issues before moving on to meet with Conservative Students and Lincolnshire Conservative Future.

In the evening the Chairman addressed the Beverley & Holderness Conservative Association at a dinner in the constituency of Graham Stuart MP.

Mar 15

Sayeeda visits Yorkshire and Lincolnshire on Chairman’s campaign tour

Today, Sayeeda was back on the road ahead of the local elections, campaigning in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

Sayeeda meets with pupils at Batley Grammar School, Yorkshire

Her tour began in Batley, where she was present to launch the new Batley and Spen Conservative Association Branch and to address members and new councillors alongside Branch Chairman Mohammed Laher.      

After her campaign talk with her councillors, Sayeeda visited Batley Grammar School, where she was greeted by staff and pupils. The school, which is in its quarter centenary year, is one of the first in Yorkshire to become a free school.

After waving goodbye to the pupils in Batley, Sayeeda travelled to Thornhill Lees Community Centre to meet with the Community Action Group there. She was welcomed by Dewsbury South council candidate Cllr Khizar Iqbal and leaders from the local business community.

Following an engaging discussion in Thornhills, Sayeeda moved on to the party’s Yorkshire campaign centre to visit candidate Jackie Whiteley and the team for a Bradford West by-election update, her second visit to the campaign this week.

Leaving Bradford, Sayeeda moved on to launch the local election campaign of Conservatives in Derbyshire and to hear their views in a campaign meeting in Codnor.

The day was rounded off with a Meet the Chairman event in Lincolnshire, where Sayeeda was greeted by Conservatives led by Cllr Rachel Hubbard, the Lincolnshire Chairman.

Mar 15

Sayeeda Warsi Ebor Lecture 2012

 

INTRODUCTION  

Thank you very much for inviting me.

Giving the Ebor Lecture is very significant for me.

Not only because I’m Yorkshire born and bred.

But because I have spent my governmental career arguing on your very theme:

The growing need for faith to interact with public issues in today’s society.

It started with a speech in 2010 when I declared that our government would make a clean break with the past administration and would ‘do God’.

Since then many have pointed out that, as a Cabinet Minister without Portfolio, I have assigned myself the portfolio of faith…

Even His Holiness Pope Benedict referred to me during his 2010 UK visit as the Minister for God!

Exactly one month ago today I led our country’s reciprocal visit to the Vatican.

It was our largest ever ministerial delegation to the Holy See.

As I walked through a sun-drenched St Peter’s Square with the Archbishop of Westminster it was a very special moment. 

Knowing that he a Catholic, me a Muslim, and many of my colleagues were united in a common aim:

To demonstrate the importance of faith and the important links between our respective beliefs.

When I then spoke at the Pontifical Ecclesiastical Academy there I wanted to make one simple point:

That Europe needs to feel stronger and more confident in its Christianity.

That you simply cannot erase Christianity from our heritage any more than you can erase the spires from our landscapes.

And that this firm basis creates a space for people of minority faiths.

I wanted that point to ring out beyond the Vatican walls.

To be heard far away where states were repressing religion.

To be heard closer to home where secularism was squeezing out faith…

…perpetuated both by the well-intentioned who want to create a level playing field for all beliefs by diminishing faith…

…and by those ideologically opposed to faith altogether. 

 In the month since I made that argument, it has started quite an interesting debate.  

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Mar 13

Sayeeda Warsi: Project Maja

On March 1st 2012, 20 years to the day since Bosnia Herzegovina declared its independence, Parliamentarians from across Europe travelled to the country as part of Project Maja.

 

The project brought together nine British MPs, four MEPs, five Turkish MPs and MPs from Iceland and Poland, Members of the SDA in Bosnia Herzegovina, including Project Maja founder, Conservative Party Co-Chairman Baroness Warsi.

 

Their aim was clear: to learn about the tragedy of the war in Bosnia and its aftermath, to give something back to their community and to build stronger links with Bosnia in order to help the fragile state achieve its political ambitions.

 

The 40-strong delegation including representatives from the Mothers of Srebrenica travelled to Srebrenica, laying wreaths to remember the 8,000 victims of the 1995 genocide. They also spent two days renovating the Christine Witcutt Centre, a school in Sarajevo for children with special needs. And they held high level meetings with their Bosnian counterparts in order to discuss the future of the country. 

 

 

Mar 12

Sayeeda kicks off campaign in Bradford West

Early on Monday morning, Sayeeda arrived in Bradford West to kick off the by-election campaign with Conservative candidate Jackie Whiteley.

Chairman Sayeeda Warsi campaigns with candidate Jackie Whiteley in Bradford

Sayeeda said that the Conservatives in Bradford would fight a  positive, clear and transparent campaign, and encouraged the other parties to follow suit. She also praised local candidate Jackie for her hard work in the region.Sayeeda said: “We are going to come out and fight for every single vote but we understand its going to be a tough election. Jackie is an outstanding local candidate who has a reputation for working hard for the people of Yorkshire and I know she will fight for their best interests.

“What Bradford West needs is someone who can deliver.”

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