Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Priti Patel endorses Boris Johnson's 'clear post-Brexit vision'

by AMIT ROY

PRITI PATEL, like Amber Rudd, has decided this is not the time for her to make a bid for the Tory leadership. Instead, she has decided to endorse Boris Johnson.


The British Indian MP who represents Witham has long been tipped as someone to watch, especially in the days when she was David Cameron’s “diaspora champion” for India. She might have run had she been in the cabinet, but prime minister Theresa May forced

her to resign as international development secretary. Being out of government has meant Priti has not had the profile needed for a credible leadership challenge.

Her replacement at international development was Penny Mordaunt, who is now the defence secretary. Mordaunt’s replacement, in turn, was Rory Stewart, the Etonian action

hero who has been quite an impressive candidate even though he is a bit of a Johnny come lately.

Should Boris win, Priti would expect to be rewarded with a reasonably senior job in the government.

In an article for The Sun, Priti said: “Boris also has a clear vision for a free, independent and self-governing Britain beyond Brexit, which shows that we believe in the potential of our great country.

“Boris has the character to lead the party and the country along this path to greater opportunities, success and prosperity.”

Priti reflects the view that only Boris has the nationwide popularity needed to beat both Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn and Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage, with the latter threatening to put the skids under the Tories at the next general election.

“Right now, there is only one candidate who can do this – Boris Johnson,” said Priti.

Known to be an admirer of India’s prime minister Narendra Modi, she will probably want to

help develop India-UK relations. She will be useful in that area, even though Modi wanted the UK to remain in the EU.

Priti’s time might yet come, especially if she has the support of the British Indian community. But to be Tory leader, she has to occupy the centre ground of politics. There is repair work to be done after the hard line she has taken over Brexit.

More For You

One year on, Starmer still has no story — but plenty of regrets

Sir Keir Starmer

Getty Images

One year on, Starmer still has no story — but plenty of regrets

Do not expect any parties in Downing Street to celebrate the government’s first birthday on Friday (4). After a rocky year, prime minister Sir Keir Starmer had more than a few regrets when giving interviews about his first year in office.

He explained that he chose the wrong chief of staff. That his opening economic narrative was too gloomy. That choosing the winter fuel allowance as a symbol of fiscal responsibility backfired. Starmer ‘deeply regretted’ the speech he gave to launch his immigration white paper, from which only the phrase ‘island of strangers’ cut through. Can any previous political leader have been quite so self-critical of their own record in real time?

Keep ReadingShow less
starmer-bangladesh-migration
Sir Keir Starmer
Getty Images

Comment: Can Starmer turn Windrush promises into policy?

Anniversaries can catalyse action. The government appointed the first Windrush Commissioner last week, shortly before Windrush Day, this year marking the 77th anniversary of the ship’s arrival in Britain.

The Windrush generation came to Britain believing what the law said – that they were British subjects, with equal rights in the mother country. But they were to discover a different reality – not just in the 1950s, but in this century too. It is five years since Wendy Williams proposed this external oversight in her review of the lessons of the Windrush scandal. The delay has damaged confidence in the compensation scheme. Williams’ proposal had been for a broader Migrants Commissioner role, since the change needed in Home Office culture went beyond the treatment of the Windrush generation itself.

Keep ReadingShow less
Eye Spy: Top stories from the world of entertainment

Ed Sheeran and Arijit Singh

Eye Spy: Top stories from the world of entertainment

Ed Sheeran and Arijit Singh’s ‘Sapphire’ collaboration misses the mark

The song everyone is talking about this month is Sapphire – Ed Sheeran’s collaboration with Arijit Singh. But instead of a true duet, Arijit takes more of a backing role to the British pop superstar, which is a shame, considering he is the most followed artist on Spotify. The Indian superstar deserved a stronger presence on the otherwise catchy track. On the positive side, Sapphire may inspire more international artists to incorporate Indian elements into their music. But going forward, any major Indian names involved in global collaborations should insist on equal billing, rather than letting western stars ride on their popularity.

  Ed Sheeran and Arijit Singh

Keep ReadingShow less
If ayatollahs fall, who will run Teheran next?

Portraits of Iranian military generals and nuclear scientists, killed in Israel’s last Friday (13) attack, are seen above a road, as heavy smoke rises from an oil refinery in southern Teheran hit in an overnight Israeli strike last Sunday (15)

If ayatollahs fall, who will run Teheran next?

THERE is one question to which none of us has the answer: if the ayatollahs are toppled, who will take over in Teheran?

I am surprised that Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Hosseini Khamenei, has lasted as long as he has. He is 86, and would achieve immortality as a “martyr” in the eyes of regime supporters if the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, succeeded in assassinating him. This was apparently Netanyahu’s plan, though he was apparently dissuaded by US president Donald Trump from going ahead with the killing.

Keep ReadingShow less
Comment: Talking about race isn’t racist – ignoring it helped grooming gangs thrive

A woman poses with a sign as members of the public queue to enter a council meeting during a protest calling for justice for victims of sexual abuse and grooming gangs, outside the council offices at City Centre on January 20, 2025 in Oldham, England

Getty Images

Comment: Talking about race isn’t racist – ignoring it helped grooming gangs thrive

WAS a national inquiry needed into so-called grooming gangs? Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer did not think so in January, but now accepts Dame Louise Casey’s recommendation to commission one.

The previous Conservative government – having held a seven-year national inquiry into child sexual abuse – started loudly championing a new national inquiry once it lost the power to call one. Casey explains why she changed her mind too after her four-month, rapid audit into actions taken and missed on group-based exploitation and abuse. A headline Casey theme is the ‘shying away’ from race.

Keep ReadingShow less