As Rishi Sunak conceded defeat in the UK general election, ending his premiership after just 20 months, the Conservative Party led by him suffered a heavy defeat. Despite this, Sunak's position in history as the first-ever Prime Minister of Indian heritage in Britain remains secure. He first made headlines as the UK's first Indian-origin Chancellor, stepping up to reassure a panicked public amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. However, the bond between him and his boss, Boris Johnson, soon crumbled due to the latter's downward popularity spiral. Sunak's election as Conservative Party leader on Diwali day in October 2022 made him the country's youngest PM in 210 years and first non-white leader, vowing to place economic stability and compassion at the heart of his government's agenda.
Rishi Sunak: Britain's First Prime Minister of Indian Heritage
In 2022, Rishi Sunak became Britain's first-ever Prime Minister of Indian heritage, marking a historic milestone in British politics. His election followed a turbulent period marked by the COVID-19 pandemic and the scandals surrounding former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Sunak's Rise to Power
Sunak's political journey began in 2015 when he was elected as the Conservative MP for Richmond (Yorks). He quickly gained prominence for his economic expertise, having worked as an investment banker before entering politics.
In 2020, Sunak was appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer by Prime Minister Boris Johnson. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he implemented a series of measures to support businesses and individuals, including the furlough scheme and Eat Out to Help Out.
Diwali Election and Premiership
As Johnson's popularity waned, Sunak emerged as a potential successor. In October 2022, he was elected leader of the Conservative Party, becoming the country's youngest Prime Minister in 210 years.
Sunak's premiership was marked by a focus on economic stability and compassion. He pledged to reduce taxes, tackle the cost-of-living crisis, and unite the country.
Downfall and Defeat
However, Sunak's popularity soon dwindled as the Conservative Party faced a series of scandals and the UK economy entered a recession. A particularly damaging scandal involved the discovery that Sunak's wife, Akshata Murthy, had non-domiciled tax status, allowing her to avoid paying UK taxes on her overseas income.
In July 2022, Sunak resigned as Chancellor in protest at Johnson's handling of the Chris Pincher scandal. This resignation triggered a wave of resignations from other Conservative MPs, leading to Johnson's own resignation.
Sunak remained as Prime Minister until a new leader could be elected. In October 2022, Liz Truss was elected as Conservative leader and became Prime Minister.
Top 5 FAQs
1. What is Rishi Sunak's background? Sunak was born in Southampton, England, to Indian parents who emigrated from East Africa.
2. What is Sunak's political ideology? Sunak is a Conservative politician who believes in free markets and limited government intervention.
3. What were Sunak's key policies as Chancellor of the Exchequer? Sunak implemented a series of measures to support businesses and individuals during the COVID-19 pandemic, including the furlough scheme and Eat Out to Help Out.
4. Why did Sunak resign as Chancellor? Sunak resigned in protest at Boris Johnson's handling of the Chris Pincher scandal.
5. What is Sunak's legacy as Prime Minister? Sunak's premiership lasted only 20 months, and his time in office was marked by economic challenges and scandals. His legacy remains to be determined.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi commemorates the 10th anniversary of the 'Make in India' initiative in a blog post, highlighting the success and impact the scheme has had on the country. He thanks the collective efforts of 140 crore Indians for transforming India into a manufacturing and innovation powerhouse, and urges everyone to continue their hard work and dedication towards the nation's progress. The post also mentions the significant growth in the manufacturing and export sectors as a result of the initiative.
Mumbai, India's financial capital, has been facing a steep decline in air quality, resulting in a drop from tenth to 28th in the national rankings. The report, released by the Ministry of Environment, evaluates cities based on their implementation of measures to combat air pollution. Despite receiving the highest grant from the Centre, Mumbai's local administration has been unable to effectively tackle man-made pollution sources, leading to a spike in PM10 components. Additionally, despite receiving the largest funding in India, sectors like solid waste management and road dust mitigation have barely received any allocation, raising concerns over inadequate mapping and measures to tackle air pollution in Mumbai.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Pune to inaugurate several metro projects, including the District Court to Swargate stretch. However, rain warnings have raised concerns about possible disruption to the public meeting that the PM is scheduled to address. With heavy rainfall predicted, it will be challenging for the authorities to keep the venue dry for the event.
Anura Kumara Dissanayake, who was recently inaugurated as Sri Lanka's new President, has dissolved the country's Parliament and announced snap polls within one month. This move is part of Dissanayake's promise to bring about change in the country's long-standing political dynasties. The parliament dissolution will come into effect tonight and the new elections will be held on November 14. This decision comes only 11 months ahead of schedule as Dissanayake aims to fulfill his party's agenda of reforming the economic crisis that the country is currently facing.
In a letter to the Joint Parliamentary Committee scrutinising the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey has raised concerns over the nearly 1.25 crore feedback submissions, calling for a probe into their sources. He questioned the statistical improbability of such a massive response arising organically from within India, and called for the investigation to cover the possible involvement of fundamentalist organisations, individuals like Zakir Naik, and foreign powers such as the ISI and China. The MP emphasized the need for the probe to preserve the fairness, integrity, and independence of the Waqf Bill deliberations.
BJP member Nishikant Dubey has raised concerns over the nearly 1.25 crore feedback submissions received by the parliamentary committee scrutinising the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, calling for a probe into their sources, including the possible involvement of ISI and China. He believes the overwhelming response is statistically improbable and may have been orchestrated by foreign entities to manipulate the democratic process, posing a threat to national sovereignty. This demand for investigation highlights the contentious nature of the bill which seeks to interfere in religious affairs and has received opposition from opposition parties and minority groups.
On social media, a controversial video featuring cricketer Sarfaraz Khan has been going viral, with claims that it shows him calling fellow player Shubman Gill a "bad player" and criticizing his selection as Gujarat team captain. However, after fact-checking the video, India TV found that it was edited and audio from someone else was added. This serves as a reminder to be cautious and verify sources before sharing information online.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a public rally in Haryana's Sonipat district for the upcoming state assembly elections. He praised the BJP-led government's progress in Haryana and highlighted the peaceful voting in Jammu and Kashmir. He also paid homage to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya and urged voters to support the BJP for another term. The enthusiasm and excitement for the Haryana elections were evident as PM Modi addressed the rally.
The Central government has stated in court that X Corp, formerly known as Twitter, does not have the right to access the review committee orders that confirmed the government's decision to block certain accounts and content on the social media platform. The government argues that X Corp is merely an intermediary and not the author of the blocked content. However, X Corp argues that it has every right to access the review committee's orders as the government's decision to block accounts and content was based on those orders. The court is set to consider the matter further and will hear the case on November 12.
Over 2.5 million voters are casting their ballots for the second phase of elections in Jammu and Kashmir, which is taking place in 6 districts and includes 26 assembly seats. Key contenders in this phase include former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and JKPCC President Tariq Hamid Karra. The election results will be announced on October 8, with two more phases of voting scheduled for September 25 and October 1.