Muslim Peer Egged

A senior Muslim member of the Shadow Cabinet has challenged extremists who pelted her with eggs yesterday to engage in dialogue.

Tory peer Baroness Warsi was taking part in a walkabout in Luton when she was confronted by a group of protesters from the Muslim Bury Park area.

They jeered the Shadow Minister for Community Cohesion and Social Action, accusing her of not being a proper Muslim, and for supporting the war in Afghanistan.

It is believed up to 10 men, with links to the Al Muhajiroun group, were involved in the scuffle which led to the baroness being hit with an egg.

Despite concerns for her safety, Baroness Warsi confronted the protesters, who refused to respond to her requests for dialogue.

The uninjured peer then took refuge in a sari shop. Police were later called but no-one was arrested.

Baroness Warsi described the men behind the attack as extremists, and "vile" people who did not represent Muslim views and were "clearly repulsed with me".

"I would say to them they are like extremists and those people who preach hatred. They want to create tension and unrest."

She told the Daily Telegraph: "There are underlying, very serious issues, very difficult issues to address but if I take these sorts of incidents too personally and take them to heart, we won't change anything.

"I am a criminal defence lawyer from Yorkshire, it is going to take a bit more than a few eggs to stop me.

"The last Tory to be pelted with eggs in Luton was John Major in 1992, and he went on to win the election, so maybe this is a really omen."

Those behind yesterday's incident are believed to be from the same group which staged demonstrations at military homecoming parades in Luton.

Baroness Warsi is the UK's most powerful female Muslin, having been recruited to join David Cameron's Shadow Cabinet in 2007. She was elevated to the peerage, allowing her to sit in the unelected House of Lords.

(PR/BMcc)