蜜芽传媒

Rishi Sunak will be the first British-Asian prime minister. His parents are Indian immigrants who came to the UK from Kenya and Tanzania.

But his journey to power has been similar to many in the Conservative Party, says Oxford University historian Neha Shah.

鈥淚f you look at Sunak鈥檚 profile in terms of wealth, background, education, all of that is exactly the same as any other member of the Tory party," she says.

The president of the Vedic Society Hindu Temple in Southampton, established by Mr Sunak鈥檚 grandfather Ramdas Sunak in 1971, claims his appointment is Britain鈥檚 鈥淏arack Obama moment鈥�.

"[Barack] Obama was the first black president of the United States but his policies didn鈥檛 do very much for most black people and certainly not people of colour abroad," adds Shah.

"Margaret Thatcher was the first female prime minister and a lot of people were very hopeful for her policies on equality but actually she didn鈥檛 really do anything for women. It took many more years before things like the Equalities Act or maternity pay to come in鈥�I guess I鈥檓 not very optimistic.鈥�

(Picture: New Conservative Party leader and incoming prime minister Rishi Sunak waves as he is greeted by colleagues on 24 October 2022. Credit: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images.)

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