UK's new cabinet is first with no white male in high office

British Prime Minister Liz Truss, who was inaugurated on Tuesday, is being criticized for her cabinet appointment of loyalists, being likened to former prime minister Boris Johnson, who was involved in a scandal associated with his aides. For the first time, the top four cabinet positions do not involve white males. A female leader was also appointed as the deputy prime minister.

“I’m confident that together we can ride out the storm, we can re-build the economy and we can become the modern brilliant Britain that I know we can be,” said Truss in her inauguration speech. She set out the economy, energy and NHS health care issues as top-priority initiatives.

“I will take action this week to deal with energy bills and to secure our future energy supply,” she said.

After the speech, Truss announced the list of four top minister positions: deputy prime minister, finance minister, foreign secretary and interior minister. Truss' old friend Therese Coffey as deputy prime minister and health minister.

Kwasi Kwarteng, who served as industry minister in the former cabinet, was appointed as finance minister. Kwarteng's familiy immigrated from Ghana in the 1960s. After graduating from Eton College and Cambridge, he worked in the financial industry. James Cleverely was appointed as foreign secretary, becoming the first Black foreign minister for the U.K. Suella Braverman, who ran for the primary election of the party, was appointed interior minister. Braverman's parents are originally from Kenya and Mauritius.

"Truss is different from Theresa May, but she is completed surrounded with loyalists, like Johnson," commented the Guardian.


Eun-A Cho achim@donga.com