New United Kingdom (UK) Prime Minister Boris Johnson's 'desi' cabinet is a profound testament to the impact of the Indian diaspora in the UK, British High Commissioner to India Dominic Asquith said on Thursday at a press briefing in New Delhi.
The newly formed UK cabinet has three Indian-origin leaders in the top ministerial team – Priti Patel as Home Secretary, Alok Sharma as International Development Secretary and Rishi Sunak as Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
"The 'desi' cabinet is a testament to just how diverse the UK is, and also what an impact the Indian diaspora makes in the UK. It is a fantastic profile of the current state of UK," Asquith said.
The UK, which set to leave the European Union by October 31, is keen to "attract the best of brains" under its new immigration policy according to Asquith.
Asquith said that Johnson "has made clear that he is a profound supporter of making sure Britain attracts the best of brains", and his government will "overlook the whole immigration process".
He added that Priti Patel "has made clear that once we leave the EU, we will not favour geographical barriers and it will be open to all, on the basis of merit".
Johnson has announced that the UK will likely implement an Australian style points-based system as part of a massive rewriting of the British immigration system.
Both Johnson and Patel support "economic" migration and don't support giving priority to EU migrants – which could be beneficial for skilled Indians, including students who go to the UK to study.
