Priti Patel, who was sacked as international development secretary in 2017, was on Wednesday appointed to the key role of Home secretary by the new Prime Minister, Boris Johnson – the senior-most portfolio held by an Indian-origin MP in British history. An admirer of Margaret Thatcher, she was in the forefront on behalf of the David Cameron government (2010-2015) during the November 2015 visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to London. The office of the Home secretary is among the UK’s four ‘Great Offices of State’, others being the Prime Minister, Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Foreign Secretary. Also read: New British PM Boris Johnson says Brexit on October 31. Former Prime Minister Theresa May appointed Patel international development secretary in July 2016 but sacked her in November 2017 after it emerged that she held unauthorised meetings with the Israeli government during a holiday.

Source: Hindustan Times July 24, 2019 18:21 UTC