Baroness Sayeeda Warsi

Baroness Sayeeda Warsi joined St Mary’s University as a Visiting Professor in September 2015. She will work closely with our Centre for Initiatives in Spirituality and Reconciliation to promote reconciliation within and beyond faith groups through seminars, conferences and outreach.

A lawyer, a businesswoman, a campaigner and a cabinet minister, Baroness Warsi has had many roles, but she is best known for being the first Muslim to serve in a British cabinet and the foremost Muslim politician in the Western world. In August 2014 she resigned from Government citing the Government’s 'morally indefensible' policy on Gaza.

As well as being the first Muslim woman to serve in the Cabinet, she is the youngest member of the House of Lords, aged just 36 in 2007 when appointed. She has a keen interest in the field of inter-faith relations and was the Government representative who welcomed Pope Benedict XVI to the inter-faith gathering at St. Mary's in 2010.