Of course Britain is ready for an ethnic minority Prime Minister

We might be about to get Britain’s first ethnic minority PM. But, what for many a decade or so ago would have been touted as a historic and unprecedented development in British politics, has barely received a mention in the press.

Despite its lack of commentary thus far, if the next PM happens to also be from an ethnic minority background, it will undoubtedly be a significant personal and national achievement. Not because this identity confers particularly disadvantages or meaning in itself, but because of the very opposite. It will exemplify that race or ethnicity is a matter of happenstance, not destiny, contrary to what we’re led to believe. This is, surely, something we can all be proud of.

Following the resignation of Boris Johnson last week, several candidates have lined up to throw their hat in the ring to replace him. The most popular among them so far is Rishi Sunak, the uber-wealthy Indian-origin former Chancellor, whose slick campaign launch video speaks of the importance of family, social mobility and equality of opportunity.

But, other ethnic minority candidates are also in the line-up. The Iraq-born Chancellor of the Exchequer Nadhim Zahawi whose moving story of fleeing Saddam Hussein’s reign of terror with his family to become a successful businessman-turned-major-politician, for many is the quintessential example of conservative philosophy. It highlights that with hard work, personal responsibility and strength of character, great heights can be attained.

Moreover, there is also Nigerian-origin Kemi Badenoch, whose eloquent contributions to some of the thorniest moral and cultural debates of the last decade, have shown her courage and willingness to take a principled stance, even in the face of intense pressure. She, to me, has the potential to reinvigorate the Tory party for a whole new generation.

There is Sajid Javid who is widely seen as a safe pair of hands and also there is Suella Braverman and Priti Patel, both of whose unashamedly pro-Brexit, tough on border control, anti-woke positions have made them stand out as contenders.

In reality, the majority of the British people see no problem with an ethnic minority PM. According to research by the think tank British Future this year, 84% of Britons were comfortable with the idea.

The poll also found that 58% did not think a PM’s ethnicity was relevant. This emphasis on achievement and contribution is fundamentally what Britain should be about.

It is notable, however, how in today’s increasingly hyper-racialised climate, these accomplished individuals have not been widely held up as examples of the joys of “diversity” by the liberal establishment. We all know that this is because conservative-minded ethnic minority politicians are often viewed as the wrong kind of minority. They are likely to experience the worst reaction on racial grounds from the far-Left, who see them as traitors to their “communities”. Many will be familiar with the abuse that Priti Patel has had to endure. Too many in the liberal elite couldn’t comprehend that a woman whose family fled Idi Amin’s regime in Uganda could believe that a firm refugee and asylum system was important for a sovereign nation.

In truth, in a context where there is a painful dearth of political imagination and willingness to take the reins of power to transform the state in the interests of the citizens of this country, it feels rather glib to mention the ethnic origin of the potential candidates. Further, a compelling story and some anti-woke statements are far from enough to confront the difficult challenges that Britain faces today.

We desperately need ideas and compelling leadership, and whilst the first ethnic minority PM will be a positive note in the history books, the most important thing must be what they stand for and what they do for the country.