City
Epaper

The Empire Strikes Back! Indian-descent Rishi Sunak becomes UK PM on second try (IANS Profile)

By IANS | Updated: October 24, 2022 19:50 IST

More than democracy's diversity, it is colonialism's reverse sweep. The United Kingdom's Conservative Party, once intricately intertwined with the ...

Open in App

More than democracy's diversity, it is colonialism's reverse sweep. The United Kingdom's Conservative Party, once intricately intertwined with the Empire, imperialism, and British national identity, had contenders from former colonies in Asia and Africa fight to lead it after Boris Johnson stepped down. And after an abortive first try, the son of Indian-descent immigrants from British East Africa finally made it to its top, to become the country's first Asian Prime Minister.

Rishi Sunak, UK's former Chancellor of the Exchequer, or Finance Minister, whose sudden resignation set in motion the circumstances that forced an intransigent Johnson to finally bow out earlier this year, was initially leading in the race to be his successor.

The race had a ethnically diverse list of candidates British Pakistani ministers Sajid Javid and Rehman Chishti, Sunak's Iraqi Kurd-born successor Nadhim Zahawi, Attorney General Suella Braverman, whose family's roots are in Goa, and Nigerian-origin former minister Kemi Badenoch.

Sunak and Braverman's fellow Indian-origin Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, chose to sit it out.

Javid and Chishti failed to get enough traction to even figure in the race, Zahawi bowed out after the first round, and Braverman after the second, leaving Sunak and Badenoch to contend against Trade Minister Penny Mordaunt, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, and Tom Tugendhat, the backbench MP, who happens to be half-French.

Ultimately, Sunak and Truss were the final contenders and she won after the race went to Conservative members across the country.

However, the Truss government soon imploded - and immigrants were behind its

After she removed Chancellor of Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng

Disclaimer: This post has been auto-published from an agency feed without any modifications to the text and has not been reviewed by an editor

Tags: goaasiaBoris JohnsonConservative PartyRishi SunakConservativesIma goa stateMizoram union territoryArunachal stateConservative international
Open in App

Related Stories

MaharashtraShaktipeeth Mahamarg New Route Map: Know All About Expansion of Nagpur–Goa Expressway Costing 1 Lakh Crore Now

MumbaiMumbai–Goa Highway Traffic Update: 2 Killed, 38 Injured After Bus Overturns in Sukeli Ghat; Long Jams Reported

NationalGoa: Bengaluru Tourist Attacked with Rods at Calangute Beach, Shack Workers Arrested (Watch

NationalGoa Power Cut on March 18: Parts of Panjim to Face Over 7-Hour Outage from 9:30 AM to 5 PM

LifestyleBroken Bottles on Beaches Point to Behavioural Gaps in Waste Disposal

Politics Realted Stories

Politics"Irresponsible": Vaiko slams EPS over 'House Arrest' remark on Stalin's father

PoliticsPM Modi to inaugurate Pachpadra Refinery on April 21: Rajasthan CM Bhajanlal Sharma

PoliticsNSUI workers protests against Assam Police's action at Pawan Khera's Residence

Politics"He is using abusive language in public": Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel slams Assam CM

Politics"Engaged in corruption, eviction notices": Congress leader Kanhaiya Kumar slams CM Himanta Biswa