Who is James Cleverly, the new UK home secretary replacing Indian-origin Suella Braverman?

Conservative Party leader James Cleverly will take over the crucial charge of the United Kingdom's interior ministry, as Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced him as the replacement of sacked home secretary Suella Braverman.

Cleverly, 54, was currently serving as the foreign secretary. He became the first person of colour to hold the position, after being appointed in July 2022 by the then Prime Minister Liz Truss. Sunak, after taking over the government in October last year, had decided to retain him.

In his first comments after being announced as the replacement of Braverman, Cleverly said, “It is an honor to be appointed home secretary. The goal is clear. My job is to keep people in this country safe.”

Here's all you need to know about James Cleverly:

Cleverly, born on September 4, 1969, is one of the prominent UK politicians sharing African heritage. His mother Evelyn Suna Cleverly is from Sierra Leone. His father James Philip is a Britisher, and worked as a surveyor.

As an army reserve officer, Cleverly had underwent military training during his youth. His services, however, were cut short in 1989 due to a leg injury.

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Cleverly pursued a Bachelor's degree in hospitality management studies in 1991, from the University of West London. He went on to work with Verenigde Nederlandse Uitgeverijen, and later joined Informa in 2002 as its international sales manager.

He marked his entry into politics in mid-2000s, and was elected as a member to the London Assembly. He represented Bexley and Bromley seats in the Assembly between 2008 and 2016. 

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Cleverly emerged as a federal leader after getting elected to the House of Commons from the parliamentary constituency of Braintree in Essex in 2015. He continues to represent the seat.

The Tory leader has worked under four prime ministers so far. He was first picked as a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union from April to July 2019 by then PM Theresa May. Her successor Boris Johnson elevated him as a Cabinet minister without rank.

In 2020, Cleverly was demoted, as he was appointed as the Minister of State for Middle East and North Africa. In July 2022, he became the first black Britisher to hold the foreign secretary charge, as Liz Truss named him the replacement of incumbent Michelle Donelan.

Cleverly would now be taking over the charge of home secretary, at a time when the UK is facing intensified ideological polarisation.