A moment of extraordinary change for British politics

Birmingham/Glasgow: Humza Yousaf's appointment as first minister of Scotland is a historic moment for the UK. It means that, for the first time in history, the country has a Hindu prime minister in Westminster (Rishi Sunak) and a Muslim first minister in Scotland. In his victory speech, Yousaf said: We should all take pride in the fact that today we have sent a clear message, that your colour of skin, your faith, is not a barrier to leading the country we all call home.

On the face of it, these two men, whose families came to the UK as immigrants looking for a better life, embody the dream that, through hard work, immigrants and their children can make it to the top of society. Similar stories are playing out elsewhere at the top level of British politics, too. Scotland's main opposition party Labour is led by Anas Sawar, a man who is also of Pakistani Muslim heritage, as is Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London. The Westminster cabinet also has unprecedented ethnic diversity.

Scotland is the only western European nation to have a Muslim leader and the UK the only democracy where the children of formerly colonised people are running the country that colonised their parents' and grandparents' nations. The moment is monumental. The UK, Scotland and, indeed, Ireland are all led by people from the south Asian diaspora. Both Yousaf and Sunak have credited their grandparents and parents for their work ethic, which they say has enabled them to move up Britain's social and political hierarchy. It's an inspiring story but perhaps one they should both reflect on now they are in power. It is perhaps harder for arrivals in today's Britain to replicate this journey. The ultimate stress test awaits

Though Yousaf has stated he is a practising Muslim, he is also clear that he does not believe that legislators should be led by faith in their decision-making. That said, during the SNP leadership contest, however, Yousaf's absence from a vote on equal marriage for same-sex couples was questioned and linked to his faith and standing in the Glasgow Pakistani community. The allegation was that he did not want to vote in favour of this legislation for fear of alienating that community.

Both Yousaf and Sunak seem keen to keep their faith in the private sphere, which is expected in British politics. Former prime minister Tony Blair's team famously lived by the mantra "We don't do God" when it came to avoiding discussions about his Christianity. The class caveat Yousaf's politics couldn't be more different from Sunak's. He is firmly left of centre on immigration, welfare and taxation. This reminds us that the ethnic minority political identity is not uniform, although for years parties on the left took the minority vote for granted. Today ethnic, religious and cultural diversity is reflected across the political spectrum. It is possible to reach the top whatever your political identity.

(The Conversation)