Boris Johnson has said he took “extremely seriously” claims made by a former minister that she was sacked because of concerns about her “Muslimness”.
The prime minister has ordered an inquiry into the allegations made by Conservative MP Nusrat Ghani.
Ghani has said that she was removed as a transport minister because of concerns about her Muslim faith.
She said that when she raised the matter with the prime minister directly after losing her job in a February 2020 ministerial reshuffle, he told her he could not get involved.
Speaking to broadcasters on Monday morning, Johnson said: “We take these allegations extremely seriously.
“I took them very seriously when they were raised with me 18 months ago.”
The prime minister added he “can’t say more” about it now there was an inquiry underway.
Ghani told The Sunday Times that when she asked why she had lost her job she was told her “Muslimness was raised as an issue”.
Chief Whip Mark Spencer, who has admitted speaking to her, angrily denied her claims, saying they were “completely false” and “defamatory”.
Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi, who on Sunday backed a probe into the allegations, said it was “important” the matter was looked into “properly”.
In comments made later to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Zahawi praised Ghani’s “bravery”, as he called for the Whitehall inquiry to be concluded “swiftly”.
He added: “This is very serious, it takes a lot of bravery for someone to stand up and say: ‘My religion was taken into consideration when I was being assessed for what I do as a job.’
“That should never happen and there is no room for it.”
Labour’s shadow women and equalities secretary, Anneliese Dodds, welcomed the inquiry into the allegations but said it “doesn’t replace the need for an immediate investigation into whether the Chief Whip broke the ministerial code”.