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Steve Baker’s political Odyssey continues

(Getty Images)

What a year it’s been for Steve Baker. In the space of 12 months he’s gone from Covid rebel ringleader to anti-Boris assassin; the ERG backbencher turned ministerial consensus-seeker. Along the way he’s raised a few eyebrows with some of his statements: defending ‘taking the knee’ at Tory party conference and apologising to Ireland and EU for the behaviour of him and his colleagues during the Brexit wars.

So Mr S was intrigued to see the Northern Ireland minister posing for pictures with the Muslim Council of Britain last week. The government has a long-standing ministerial boycott in place with this group, dating back to 2009. As recently as July, Downing Street restated that ministers should continue to boycott the organisation following controversy over a meeting with one of its leaders by Conservative leadership candidate Penny Mordaunt. Asked to explain, Baker told Steerpike:

I am proud to represent thousands of British Muslims, around one in six of my electors. I know they suffer discrimination and hate and I won’t stand for it. That’s why as an individual MP, I actively represent my residents by supporting campaigns against Islamophobia routinely. I’m pleased to see that under new leadership, the Muslim Council of Britain is much more constructive today than in the past.

The Northern Ireland Office did not respond to a request for comment. Who will the ‘Brexit hardman’ meet next on his ongoing political Odyssey?

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Steerpike
Written by
Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

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