After the British Prime Minister Boris Johnson resigned from his post, the quest for the next PM has begun. Person in the forefront of the race is none other than the Indian-origin Rishi Sunak, son-in-law of Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy. However, there is even more for Indians to feel proud of. Another Indian-origin, Suella Braverman is also a probable candidate for the top job.
Goa born Suella Braverman is currently the Attorney General in the British Cabinet. She is among the first MPs to have formally announced their participation in the race. Other Indian-origin leaders such as cabinet minister Rishi Sunak and Home Minister Priti Patel, who resigned recently, are also being seen as potential contenders for the top post.
Read | Boris Johnson resigns: Here is a list of likely candidates to replace British PM
Braverman, 42, a barrister and the most senior legal official in the government, is likely to get some support from her party's pro-Brexit faction. "I am putting myself forward because I believe the 2019 manifesto is suitable for this purpose and I want to fulfill the promises made in that manifesto," she said.
Who is Suella Braverman?
The 42-year-old Attorney General Suella Braverman studied at Cambridge University and completed a master's degree in European and French law at Pantheon-Sorbonne University. She then went on to specialise in commercial litigation, judicial review, immigration and planning law at No5 Chambers in London.
Suella Braverman entered politics in 2005, when she contested from the Leicester East constituency. She lost out to Labour candidate Keith Vaz but eventually selected as the Conservative candidate in Fareham and elected to the House of Commons as Fareham MP in 2015. She won by 56.1% of the vote and a majority of 22,262.
Since being elected, she served on the Education Select Committee, as a Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Treasury, and a Brexit Minister. In November 2018 she resigned from her role as Brexit Minister, over what she described as 'the unacceptable terms of the Withdrawal Agreement'.
In February 13, 2020, Braverman was appointed as Attorney General for England and Wales and Advocate General for Northern Ireland, succeeding Geoffrey Cox who had been dismissed from government. She is the second female Attorney General and the first Conservative female Attorney General.
Suella Braverman has been a strong supporter of Brexit and stands on the right wing of the Conservative Party. Her parents are from Mauritius and Kenya.
Steve Baker's name also included in the race
Along with Suella Braverman, Steve Baker, an outspoken supporter of Brexit, also announced that he intended to join the race. With Boris Johnson's formal resignation, several other leaders are expected to come forward for the top post.
Defence Minister Ben Wallace is at the forefront of becoming the next Prime Minister, according to a new survey in The Daily Telegraph. The party's 1922 committee will determine the timetable for the leadership competition. To participate in this race, any MP has to be nominated by eight colleagues.
According to the survey, if Wallace decides to contest, he could be at the forefront. In the survey, 13% of people named Wallace while 12% supported junior minister Penny Mordaunt. Former Finance Minister Rishi Sunak is also seen as a contender and has got 10% support in the survey.
