Former cabinet minister Baroness Warsi was the keynote speaker at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) Muslim Leadership in Britain Conference.

The campaigner and lawyer, who resigned from the Conservative Government citing its “morally indefensible” policy on Gaza in August last year, posed questions which were discussed during the various sessions and she took questions from the packed audience.

The Muslims in Britain Research Network (MBRN) conference brought academics together with Muslim leaders and practitioners, from across Britain, to discuss the changing forms of Muslim leadership in the UK. Carl Morris, UCLan Associate Lecturer in Religion Culture and Society, was one of the organisers.

He said: “This conference was all about placing higher education at the heart of the Muslim community both in the North West and throughout the country.

"We provided a neutral space for dialogue and debate to take place with the aim of creating new working networks in the spheres of politics, local government, education, charities, culture and business.

The day was a huge success and we’re delighted to have been able to host such an event at UCLan.”

It was opened by Professor Sophie Gilliat-Ray, Chair of MBRN, and sessions included ‘Leadership, Young Muslims and Social Cohesion’; ‘Developing Female Leadership’ and ‘Muslim Leadership: A View from the North of England’.