First Indian-origin British Minister Priti Patel quits
Ms Priti Patel, the first Indian-origin British Cabinet Minister, who resigned on Wednesday over her admitted meetings with Israeli officials during a family holiday in August, has been replaced by another Brexit and Indian supporter, Penny Mordaunt, as international development secretary, media reports said.
According to reports, British Prime Minister Theresa May was under pressure to replace Ms Patel, the MP for the Essex constituency of Witham, who was first elected to British Parliament in 2010.
Born in London, Ms. Patel , whose family comes from Gujarat in India, was appointed diaspora champion for the British Indian community by former Prime Minister David Cameron as part of its effort to strengthen ties between the two countries besides winning over more of the British Gujarati and wider Indian community, which has traditionally voted Labour, to the Conservative Party. Early this year, Priti was felicitated with the Pravasi Bharitiya Samman award.
It is pertinent to mention that early this week, Ms Patel publicly apologized for failing to disclose 12 meetings with senior Israeli politicians, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, during a “family holiday” in Israel in August.
“An enormous thank you to friends, colleagues, constituents & the public for the support & kindness you have shown me over the last few days,” Ms Patel tweeted yesterday.
