Shahid Malik (born 24 November 1967) is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Dewsbury from 2005 to 2010. In 2007 he became Britain's first Muslim Minister as International Development Minister, and subsequently served as a Justice Minister, Home Office Minister and most recently as Minister for Race, Faith and Community Cohesion at the Department for Communities and Local Government. He lost his seat in the House of Commons at the 2010 general election following significant boundary changes which brought a number of traditionally Conservative areas into the Dewsbury constituency in 2010.
In October 2006 Malik garnered national attention when he spoke out in support of the decision to suspend, and later sack, a Muslim teaching assistant from Dewsbury for refusing to remove her veil in the classroom.
On 15 May 2009, Malik stepped to one side as Justice Minister and Home Office Minister in order to allow the Prime Minister's independent adviser on ministerial interests, Sir Philip Mawer, to investigate accusations in The Daily telegraph that he had breached the Ministerial Code by accepting preferential rent on his office and home. However, the inquiry concluded that he was in fact paying the market rent and Sir Philip cleared him of any breach. On 9 June, Malik rejoined the government as Communities and Local Government Minister after being cleared of breaching the ministerial code.
On 16 June 2009, John Lyon, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, launched a formal inquiry into Malik’s expenses claims following a complaint from a Conservative politician. In April 2010, Malik was cleared of the serious allegations.
Shahid Malik (born 24 November 1967) is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Dewsbury from 2005 to 2010. In 2007 he became Britain's first Muslim Minister as International Development Minister, and subsequently served as a Justice Minister, Home Office Minister and most recently as Minister for Race, Faith and Community Cohesion at the Department for Communities and Local Government. He lost his seat in the House of Commons at the 2010 general election following significant boundary changes which brought a number of traditionally Conservative areas into the Dewsbury constituency in 2010.
In October 2006 Malik garnered national attention when he spoke out in support of the decision to suspend, and later sack, a Muslim teaching assistant from Dewsbury for refusing to remove her veil in the classroom.
On 15 May 2009, Malik stepped to one side as Justice Minister and Home Office Minister in order to allow the Prime Minister's independent adviser on ministerial interests, Sir Philip Mawer, to investigate accusations in The Daily telegraph that he had breached the Ministerial Code by accepting preferential rent on his office and home. However, the inquiry concluded that he was in fact paying the market rent and Sir Philip cleared him of any breach. On 9 June, Malik rejoined the government as Communities and Local Government Minister after being cleared of breaching the ministerial code.
On 16 June 2009, John Lyon, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, launched a formal inquiry into Malik’s expenses claims following a complaint from a Conservative politician. In April 2010, Malik was cleared of the serious allegations.