United Kingdom: Liz Truss unveils a very right-wing and diversity government

New British Prime Minister Liz Truss unveiled her government.

Here, the seat of government at 10 Downing Street, London, with the government cat, Larry, on September 5, 2022. © Isabel Infantes / AFP

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3 mins

British Prime Minister Liz Truss unveiled the composition of her government on Tuesday, September 6.

The new leader of the United Kingdom has chosen names that are sometimes little known but loyal, and above all in accordance with her very right-wing line in political matters and very liberal in economics.

For the first time in its history, the United Kingdom does not have a white man in the four most important positions of its government.

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After being received by Queen Elizabeth II, Liz Truss, the 

after Margaret Thatcher and Theresa May, announced her government.

For the first time, none of the three main portfolios of the cabinet - Finance, Interior and Foreign Affairs - is thus occupied by a white man.

Kwasi Kwarteng, the 47-year-old son of immigrants from Ghana, is thus promoted to the post of finance minister, at a time when the country is going through its worst economic crisis in decades.

The first Afro-British to be appointed Chancellor of the Exchequer, he is a pure liberal in economics, an advocate of tax cuts and the market economy.

Inside, Suella Braverman.

This 42-year-old former lawyer, of Indian origin through her parents, is a very conservative elected official who will now have to tackle the issue of migrants who arrive illegally on British shores.

The previous government

, a plan she strongly supports.

She is admired on the right for her attacks on the " 

 " ideology, which denounces the injustices suffered by minorities, but whose supposed excesses have become the bane of conservatives around the world.

A Brexiter to diplomacy

James Cleverly, appointed head of British diplomacy after two years as secretary of state for foreign affairs, then a brief stint as minister of education, was a fervent supporter of Liz Truss during her campaign and is a supporter of the Brexit.

The 53-year-old army reservist's mother is from Sierra Leone.

Besides the war in Ukraine, he will have the difficult task of

over the post-Brexit status of Northern Ireland.

After presenting as one of her priorities the recovery of the public health service, weakened by 10 years of austerity and the pandemic, Liz Truss appointed Therese Coffey, a close friend, Minister of Health with the title of Deputy Prime Minister.

Escaping the game of musical chairs,

, is kept in Defense, a key post because of the war in Ukraine, of which London is one of the main supporters.

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The face of the British executive has changed radically in a few years.

The country had its first black member of government in 2002, under the Labor government of Tony Blair.

And in 2010, its Muslim prime minister under conservative David Cameron

Elite from prestigious universities

While this government seems to be leaning more towards ethnic diversity, having studied in elite schools and universities still seems to be a must.

Kwasi Kwarteng went through Eton College, the secondary school - for boys - appointed to the royal family and the aristocracy of the whole world, where David Cameron and Boris Johnson passed before him, before going to Cambridge .

It is also in this prestigious university that Suella Braverman studied.

James Cleverly was also privately educated before entering the army.

“ 

, says Rob Ford, professor of political science at the University of Manchester.

, he adds. 

: "They (the politicians, editor's note) do not represent us".

 ”.

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(With AFP)

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