{"id":222789,"date":"2022-10-31T12:00:30","date_gmt":"2022-10-31T12:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/?p=222789"},"modified":"2022-10-27T04:06:30","modified_gmt":"2022-10-27T03:06:30","slug":"diversity-debate-rages-as-sunak-a-british-indian-becomes-uk-pm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.transcend.org\/tms\/2022\/10\/diversity-debate-rages-as-sunak-a-british-indian-becomes-uk-pm\/","title":{"rendered":"Diversity Debate Rages as Sunak, a British Indian, Becomes UK PM"},"content":{"rendered":"

Sunak is the UK\u2019s first prime minister of colour but some doubt his policies will benefit underrepresented communities.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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Sunak walks out of the Conservative campaign headquarters in London. [File: Hannah McKay\/Reuters]<\/p><\/div>\n

25 Oct 2022 – <\/em>For the first time in the United Kingdom\u2019s history, the country is being led by a non-white person as prime minister.<\/p>\n

At 42, Rishi Sunak<\/a>, who is Hindu, is also the youngest prime minister in more than 200 years.<\/p>\n

He was born in Southampton to ethnic Indian immigrant parents.<\/p>\n

And on Monday, he was elected by his Conservative Party to take over from Liz Truss, who broke an unenviable record as the shortest-serving prime minister. She held Britain\u2019s top job for 44 days, failing to outlast a head of lettuce<\/a> that a British tabloid livestreamed for about a week as it strove to answer the question: \u201cWhich wet lettuce will last longer?\u201d<\/p>\n

But is Sunak\u2019s appointment a win for representation<\/a>, or mere cosmetic change that will plough the country into further austerity measures while promising tax breaks for the rich?<\/p>\n

\"INTERACTIVE<\/p>\n

According to Nayaz Qazi, director of the Conservative Friends of India organisation, Sunak\u2019s elevation is \u201ca very proud moment for British Indians and all ethnic minority communities\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cRishi\u2019s appointment is a testament to how the Conservative Party promotes talent and meritocracy,\u201d Qazi told Al Jazeera. \u201cThis will inspire all communities, particularly the British Indian and ethnic minority communities.\u201d<\/p>\n

But for others, reaching the highest rank in Westminster \u2013 while a feat in itself as a member of an ethnic minority \u2013 is less about British multiculturalism and more about embodying the Conservative Party\u2019s increasingly right-wing policies.<\/p>\n

\u201cGiven the recent records of both Priti Patel and Suella Braverman [who also have Indian origins] in the Home Office, there is little reason to assume a politician coming from an ethnic minority will mean they have a progressive policy agenda,\u201d said Michael Walker, a contributing editor to Novara Media.<\/p>\n

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\u201cIndeed, in his previous contest with Truss, Sunak pledged to put a cap on refugee numbers \u2013 an appalling policy that would clearly be against international law.\u201d<\/p>\n

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#RishiSunak<\/a> All \u201cPOC\u201d are not the same + it demonstrates a fundamental lack of understanding not only of this, but also of history + reality,to interpret todays events as some sort of win 4 \u201crepresentation\u201d, using language + frameworks appropriated from black American experience<\/p>\n

— Emma Dabiri (@EmmaDabiri) October 24, 2022<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n