The recent appointment of Rishi Sunak as (UK) prime minister was met with celebration by many people in and outside the UK. For those in the UK who have endured months of a cost of living crisis that is unfairly linked to the outgone PM, Liz Truss, Sunak’s election heralds an era of economic stability.

At least that is what they hope. But for those outside the UK, Sunak’s election is being celebrated for something completely different: representation. They feel that a man of Indian descent ascending to the highest office in one of the most developed nations in the world, is affirmation that “people of colour” have what it takes to lead. This reasoning has also been used by apologists of racism to push the narrative that Sunak’s election demonstrates that the UK is non-racist. This, of course, could not be further from the truth, as the racism of the UK government and its people is well documented...