New Delhi: The UK poll results are historic – not only because the Conservatives were dethroned after 14 years of power – but also because this election saw the largest number of women MPs and those of Indian origin being elected to the House of Commons.
Out of the 650 seats in parliament, 264 will be held by women as opposed to 220 in the last elections in 2019. Similarly, 26 MPs in the newly elected parliament are of Indian origin, up from 15 in 2019.
Keir Starmer’s cabinet is looking at a record number of women in cabinet positions. Labour politician and economist Rachel Reeves has been appointed as Chancellor of the Exchequer, the first female to hold the coveted post.
Calling it an “honour” and “historic responsibility”, Reeves posted on social media platform ‘X’ that “To every young girl and woman reading this, let today show that there should be no limits on your ambitions”.
It is the honour of my life to have been appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Economic growth was the Labour Party’s mission. It is now a national mission.
Let’s get to work. pic.twitter.com/PchJFePDJa
— Rachel Reeves (@RachelReevesMP) July 5, 2024
Lisa Nandy, of Indian descent, has been named the country’s culture secretary. Nandy previously served as international development and shadow housing minister. It is noteworthy as in the last Labour government, a decade and a half ago, Nandy was one of the first Asian female MPs, and the first woman to win from Wigan.
This year’s elections saw 89 MPs elected belonging to ethnic minorities, but only 3 have been appointed to cabinet positions.
The 26 British-Indian MPs
Out of the 26 MPs of Indian origin, six belong to the Conservative party, namely, outgoing PM Rishi Sunak, Suella Braverman, Priti Patel, Claire Coutinho, Shivani Raja, and Gagan Mohindra.
The Labour Party who emerged victorious in the elections also brought in the maximum number of Indian-origin MPs to the house. While seasoned politicians like Seema Malhotra, Valerie Vaz, and Lisa Nandy held on to their seats, newcomers, too, won popular support.
Jas Athwal, Baggy Shanker, Satvir Kaur, Harpreet Uppal, Warinder Juss, Gurinder Josan, Kanishka Narayan, Sonia Kumar, Sureena Brackenbridge, Kirith Entwistle, Jeevun Sandher and Sojan Joseph are the first-time MPs.
Twelve winners from Labour belong to the Sikh community and 6 are women. Preet Kaur Gill and Tanmanjeet Singh Dhesi are among the winners.
This election also saw politicians, even those of non-Indian descent, visiting places of worship frequented by Indians. Keir Starmer visited the Shree Swaminarayan Temple in Kingsbury, just a week before the elections.
In 2023, Indians were the largest group of immigrants in the UK emigrating for work and study. India has been “the most common country of birth for migrants in the UK,” according to a UK survey.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
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