New UK PM Liz Truss appoints diverse Cabinet, Rishi Sunak allies are out

PTI, Sep 7, 2022, 9:05 AM IST

Image credits: AP

Prime Minister Liz Truss has unveiled one of the UK’s most diverse Cabinets, with key frontline posts going to ethnic minority members of Parliament, including Indian-origin Suella Braverman as the Home Secretary.

The process of appointing the Cabinet will continue into Wednesday, when Truss addresses her first Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) in the House of Commons.

By her side on the frontbenches will be Braverman, 42, whose Tamil mother had her family roots in Mauritius and Goan-origin father migrated to the UK from Kenya.

Also, by her side will be Ghanian-origin Kwasi Kwarteng, 47, as the UK’s first black Chancellor and mixed Sierra Leone and white heritage James Cleverly as the Foreign Secretary, Truss’ own former portfolio.

The senior Conservative MPs who had come out in support of former chancellor Rishi Sunak in the Tory leadership election are conspicuous by their absence in Truss’s top team, which she has packed with close allies, such as Therese Coffey as Deputy Prime Minister and Secretary of State for Health and Social Care and Wendy Morton as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Treasury and the first Tory female Chief Whip in charge of party discipline.

Another Indian-origin minister in the Cabinet is the 55-year-old Alok Sharma, who retains his climate action job as COP26 President, as does Defence Secretary Ben Wallace.

Iraqi-origin Nadhim Zahawi, 55, has been appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister of Equalities, Brandon Lewis is the new Justice Secretary, and Penny Mordaunt is the Leader of the Commons.

“We have huge reserves of talent, of energy, and determination,” Truss, 47, said in her inaugural address outside 10 Downing Street earlier on Tuesday.

“I am confident that together we can: ride out the storm, we can rebuild our economy, and we can become the modern brilliant Britain that I know we can be. This is our vital mission to ensure opportunity and prosperity for all people and future generations. I am determined to deliver,” she.

Truss travelled to Queen Elizabeth II’s Balmoral Castle residence in Aberdeenshire, Scotland on Tuesday to meet the 96-year-old monarch, who asked her to form a new government.

Truss has said that she is honoured to take on the responsibility at a vital time for the country.

The new prime minister said her government will ”transform Britain into an aspiration nation with high paying jobs, safe streets and where everyone everywhere has the opportunities they deserve.”