Junior Minister Priti Patel who wooed Asian voters

NEW DELHI: A poll in the weeks leading up to the June 23 referendum had given the Remain campaign a more than handy lead among Britain’s 1.2 million strong Indian-origin voters. But that didn’t dishearten Priti Patel.

The daughter of migrants from Uganda and Britain’s junior minister for employment, Patel, 44, is now well poised to play a more prominent role in UK politics with the Brexit victory having claimed David Cameron as a victim. Cameron will step down in about three months to make way for a prime minister and a cabinet that will negotiate Britain’s exit from the European Union, in accordance with wishes of the majority. And Brexiters would expect to be at the forefront of the next British administration.

Patel relentlessly championed freedom from the EU, possibly swaying some among the Asian community who weren’t too sure about the virtues of leaving. "By leaving the EU, we can replace EU red tape with sensible rules that promote the entrepreneurial spirit that we have in abundance," Patel had been cited as saying by PTI. "We send 350 million pounds a week to Brussels, this is money that could be spent on our priorities like the NHS (National Health Service)."

While there has been some doubt expressed about that number, Patel was able to make a stronger pitch on the issue of immigration with a reference to Britain’s numerous Indian restaurants.

"Our curry houses are becoming the victims of the EU's uncontrolled immigration rules. By voting to leave the EU we can take back control of our immigration policies, save our curry houses and join the rest of the world," she was cited as saying by PTI. She had also said an EU exit would help boost the UK’s trade ties with India. "India is a growing market with the fastest growing working age population of any other major economy but it is a market that we are forbidden from striking a trade deal with because it is against EU rules," she told PTI. "After we vote Leave, the UK would be free to negotiate its own far-reaching trade deals with India and dozens of other growing economies."

Still, any such renegotiation could be years away, given that India’s free-trade accord with EU hasn’t been concluded yet.

Then there was the appeal to good old Asian family values and the reference to her parents, who are of Gujarati origin. She also complained about unfettered immigration leading to a flood of children into Britain’s schools. "This research proves that class sizes are already overstretched," the Guardian cited her as saying.