Sunak, Patel...Meet the South Asians in the race to become UK’s next PM
The change in the UK leadership has raised questions in India as to whether the two sides will be able to conclude a free trade deal by the target date of October 2022.
The field to succeed Boris Johnson as prime minister is packed with South Asian faces, with former chancellor of the exchequer Rishi Sunak being seen as one of the favourites.
Even before Johnson delivered his resignation speech, triggering a leadership race, at least one Indian-origin candidate was already lined up to compete for the top job.
Goan-origin Suella Braverman, currently the Attorney General in the UK Cabinet, is among the early Tory members of parliament to formally declare her leadership bid, with other Indian-origin colleagues such as recently resigned Cabinet minister Rishi Sunak and home secretary Priti Patel also seen as possible contenders for the top job.
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The 42-year-old barrister and the government’s senior-most legal official is likely to command some support within the pro-Brexit wing of her party.
“I am putting myself forward because I believe that the 2019 manifesto is fit for purpose, presents a bold and inspiring vision for our country and I want to deliver on the promises contained in that manifesto. I want to embed the opportunities of Brexit and tidy up the outstanding issues… and cut taxes,” said Braverman.
So far however, polls among Tory members have favoured 42-year-old Sunak as a top contender. A YouGov poll of Tory members conducted during July 6-7 put Sunak well above former health minister Sajid Javid and home secretary Priti Patel, with the support of 10% of those surveyed. Sunak was placed third, behind only secretary of state for defence Ben Wallace (13%) and minister of state for trade policy Penny Mordaunt (12%).
Son-in-law of Infosys founder NR Narayana Murthy, Sunak became a member of parliament for the first time in 2015 from Richmond, one of the safest constituencies for the Tories. Within five years, he was catapulted to the Cabinet position of chancellor of the exchequer.
The former analyst with investment bank Goldman Sachs, who became popular during the Covid-19 pandemic by framing a package worth tens of billions of pounds to help businesses and workers, is seen by bookmakers Ladbrokes as a joint favourite with Mordaunt. Even in the past, he has been regarded as a favourite to replace Johnson as the Conservative Party leader.
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Pakistani-origin Sajid Javid is another contender. Javid, 52, was among the top four candidates when he made a bid for the Conservative Party’s leadership in 2019. He subsequently dropped out of that race and backed Johnson.
For this, he was made the chancellor of the exchequer but stepped down after only six months. Javid, who became an MP in 2010, was appointed health minister last year and held the post till he resigned.
Patel, 50, the daughter of Ugandan-Indian parents who came to the UK in the 1960s, polled just 3% in the YouGov survey. She was among Johnson’s greatest supporters but switched sides on Wednesday, joining those calling for his resignation. After several years working as a lobbyist for the tobacco and alcohol industries, she was elected to parliament in 2010.
A leading campaigner for Brexit, she was forced to quit as international development secretary in Theresa May’s government in November 2017 after it emerged that she had held several meetings with politicians in Israel without informing the Foreign Office. After some time as a backbencher, Patel was appointed as home secretary by Johnson in July 2019.
The change in the UK leadership has raised questions in India as to whether the two sides will be able to conclude a free trade deal by the target date of October 2022, which was announced by Johnson during a visit to New Delhi in March. External affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi declined to comment on Johnson’s resignation, describing it as part of “internal developments” in the UK, but said the UK premier and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi have enjoyed a “very close friendship”.
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Bagchi described the UK as an important strategic partner and said it is important for the relationship to continue. “On the trade deal with UK, we attach importance to the negotiations that are going on with the UK. There is some degree of optimism that it could be done soon...It would be nice if we could do that,” he said.
“Whether the change in leadership will impact it, that would be in the speculation zone. We hope we can carry forward the good momentum that is underway in the talks,” he added.