Contact could unsettle some in Labour given her past record on the issue including criticism of Lammy report

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Downing Street has been holding discussions with Munira Mirza, a longstanding and often controversial aide to Boris Johnson who has repeatedly criticised ideas about structural and institutional racism, it is understood.

Although it is believed that No 10’s contact with Mirza has been limited to a handful of calls at most, and that she is among a range of outside voices spoken to, her involvement in any sort of discussions with the government is likely to spook some Labour MPs.