Pakistani-origin Sajid Javid named Britain finance minister

LONDON: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson named former interior minister Sajid Javid to take over from Philip Hammond as finance minister in his first cabinet appointment, the government said in a statement on Wednesday.

“Deeply honoured to be appointed Chancellor by PM @BorisJohnson. Looking forward to working with @hmtreasury to prepare for leaving the EU, unifying our country and priming our economy for the incredible opportunities that lie ahead,” Javid said in a tweet.

A former banker from a modest background, Javid was a contender for the premiership but endorsed Johnson when he failed to get enough support from fellow Conservative MPs.

49-year-old Javid was appointed as Britain’s interior minister last year. The son of a Pakistani immigrant bus driver, Javid is known as the face of a modern, multicultural and meritocratic Britain.

On the economically liberal wing of the Conservative Party, Javid voted for Britain to stay in the EU in 2016. During his time as interior minister, he earned respect for his handling of a scandal over the treatment of the children of Caribbean immigrants, known as the Windrush generation.