“The Gujarati community in Britain seems to be basking with pride.”
Some 50 years after the majority migrated to Britain from Africa, one of them has made it to the corridors of power at Westminster.
Shailesh Vara is the new Conservative MP from North West Cambridgeshire.
To support and meet the new man in power, a huge gathering from the Gujarati community came out at the launch of the Zee Gujarati Channel. Vara arrived on time with his wife Meena and parents Lakhman Arjan and Sabitaben, looking elegant in a black suit. His parents shone with delight as they watched their son being commemorated by the Zee Network on becoming the first ever Gujarati MP in the House of Commons.
“Although I am a British citizen, I am very much of Indian origin.”
He spoke articulately about his early days in Uganda, his family and politics. As soon as the subject was over, there was a sudden rush to his table where flashbulbs and journalists performed, while others simply wanted a picture with the new politician. Vara received a warm reception, like a Bollywood star.
He is the beleaguered Tory Party’s big hope and his party colleagues have already called him a rising star, and “a future prime minister”. “The future will take care of itself,” he says with a smile, a day later at his residence, while his English wife Beverley attends to their eight-month-old son.
“I am delighted to be an MP in the House of Commons. It’s the beginning of a new life with responsibilities and duties to my constituents. It’s a very serious role,” he adds.
His constituency has 78 villages, about 60 per cent of it rural. Although it was considered a safe seat for the party, Vara beat everyone’s expectations by winning by 10,000 votes — 2,000 more than his predecessor. When you consider that 99 per cent of people living in this constituency are British, the win seems all the more remarkable.
Born 44 years ago in Uganda, Vara was four when his parents moved to Britain. He became a qualified lawyer and worked in Hong Kong for two years before returning to England, where he held local, regional and national political posts. In 2003, he led a European team of 12 delegates to the US as part of a Young European Leaders programme.
He was rewarded when made a shadow vice chairman of the Conservative Party, advising leader Michael Howard. After losing the past two elections, Vara knows his party has a long way to go. His dynamism may be what it requires after a third straight defeat at the polls. He has five years to help reverse that.
— Kevin Rego