UK: According to an interview that was released on Saturday, the first Prime Minister of the UK of Indian descent and practising Hindu thinks the historic event reveals something significant about the diversity in Britain.
The 42-year-old Sunak also disclosed that, during the leadership contest last month, he refused to give way to former PM Boris Johnson because he believed, based on his experience as Finance Minister, that he was the best candidate to guide the nation through its cost-of-living issue.
On October 24, the same day that India observed Diwali, the festival of lights, Sunak won the contest to succeed Liz Truss as premier and head of the Conservative Party.
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A Diwali reception served as the incoming premier’s first official event in Downing Street.
Sunak, who served as Johnson’s finance minister, would place customary Diwali decorations on the threshold of his official apartment at 11 Downing Street. “It was obviously marvellous. It meant a lot of things to a lot of people,” he said.
The grandparents of Sunak left eastern Africa for Britain in the 1960s and were originally from Punjab.
I was allowed to burn my Diwali diyas (lamps) on the steps of Downing Street while serving as chancellor. That was conceivable and that it wasn’t a big deal expressed a beautiful thing about our nation.
In his first significant interview since assuming office, he told The Times newspaper, “It was in a sense gosh, this is great, but also that’s just Britain.”
He continued, “Hopefully it’s a source of common pride across the nation.”
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‘Best person’ for the task
Sunak claimed he never considered running on a “joint ticket” with his old boss or withdrawing from the leadership race to make room for Johnson.
Johnson considered making a comeback but gave up after failing to convince Sunak to share authority.
I was very explicit with him about the fact that I had his strong support and that I believed I was the greatest candidate for the job, he added.
While he has referred to the terrible economic policies of his brief-lived predecessor Truss as “mistakes” that it is his responsibility to “correct,” Sunak has refrained from making direct criticism of him.
Markets were shaken, borrowing costs rose, and the pound sank as a result of Truss’s disastrous tax-cutting October budget.
In an effort to calm the markets as Britons prepare for a winter of rising food, energy, and housing expenses, Sunak hinted at tax increases in a new budget on November 17.
He promised steps aimed at bringing down inflation “compassionately and fairly,” but he also foresaw “tough decisions to come.”
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