A former Tory chair has quit the party because it has become so “far right”.

Baroness Sayeeda Warsi said she had decided to give up the Conservative whip in the House of Lords “with a heavy heart”.

In a post on X, she said: “This is a sad day for me. I am a Conservative and remain so but sadly the current party are far removed from the party I joined and served in cabinet.

“My decision is a reflection of how far right my party has moved and the hypocrisy and double standards in its treatment of different communities. A timely reminder of the issues that I raise in my book Muslims Don’t Matter.”

Baroness Warsi was made a life peer in 2007 and was Tory chair alongside Lord Feldman between 2010 and 2012.

A close ally of David Cameron, she also served as minister without portfolio, minister for faith and communities and a Foreign Office minister during her time in government.

However, in recent years she has been a consistent critic of her party, especially its treatment of Muslims.