India visit makes UK's former home secy Suella Braverman high earner on worldwide speech circuit

London: A speaking engagement in India earlier this year helped make former home secretary Suella Braverman among the highest-paid politicians from the UK Parliament for her speeches around the world.

In the House of Commons ‘Register of Members Financial Interests’ for 2024-25 published this month, the 44-year-old Indian-origin Conservative Party member of Parliament declared her additional income as is required of all British MPs.

It lists a payment of GBP 20,520.60 from a leading Indian media house in February this year, which included expenses for her and her husband’s flight and stay in India.

"GBP 20,520.60 comprised of a payment of GBP 19,920.60 and accommodation for my husband and I valued at GBP 600,” reads the register entry.

Besides the Indian speaking engagement, the former minister who was re-elected as MP from Fareham and Waterlooville constituency in south-east England last month earned GBP 25,452.40 in April from Chosun Media in South Korea for speeches in the country’s capital of Seoul. Her other lucrative earnings included a speech in London and a series of newspaper articles for the Telegraph Media Group in the UK.

Braverman, who was sacked as home secretary by former prime minister Rishi Sunak, was widely expected to contest the Conservative Party leadership race to succeed him as Opposition Leader. However, she confirmed at the end of last month that she had decided against contesting as she lashed out at her party colleagues for branding her “mad, bad and dangerous”.

Meanwhile, fellow Indian-origin former home secretary Priti Patel is in the running to be elected the new Tory leader along with former ministers Kemi Badenoch, James Cleverly, Tom Tugendhat, Robert Jenrick and Mel Stride. The candidates have been canvassing their fellow MPs’ vote to whittle down the field to just four candidates in ballots set for September 4-11. The Conservative Party conference, between September 29 and October 2, will see the four MPs give key speeches for the parliamentary party to then vote for their final two candidates by October 10.

The new party leader will then be elected in an online ballot of the entire Tory membership until October 31, with the winner of the contest to be declared on November 2 – when Sunak’s role as acting Opposition Leader comes to an end after his resignation in the wake of the party’s defeat in the July 4 general election.