Suella Braverman
'I am proud to be a Conservative because we have a proven track record of opportunity, meritocracy and empowering talented women. Of course, being born in 1980, Mrs Thatcher was a role model for me growing up but there are so many brilliant women up and down today’s Conservative party who continue to make a meaningful contribution to British society.
My parents came to this country with nothing. Mum was recruited by the NHS as a girl of 18 and served as a nurse in the UK for 45 years. Dad came here as part of the Kenyan expulsion of Asians and found refuge here. He came here alone as a young man and often tells me how it was his British passport that gave him hope as he stepped off the plane at Heathrow Airport in February 1968. He started on the shop floor of a paint factory. Working hard, living modestly and prioritising education, my parents instilled in me a respect of Britain as a beacon of quality, fair play and opportunity. These are profoundly Conservative values and after studying Law at Cambridge University, the Sorbonne and qualifying as a New York Attorney, I worked as a self-employed Barrister for 10 years in London before being elected to Parliament to represent the wonderful constituency of Fareham.
Serving now as Attorney General in Boris Johnson’s Cabinet is the biggest professional honour of my life. I am acutely aware of the responsibilities that I hold in being the government’s Chief Legal Advisor during the most challenging times that our country has seen as we fight Coronavirus.
The UK offered my family and I the hand of friendship in times of need. I often reflect on how my life may have panned out had I been born in Mauritius or Kenya and I feel incredibly lucky to have been gifted the many educational and professional opportunities in the UK. The Conservative Party and working in law and politics, in turn, have been the vehicle through which I can attempt to repay the country I love for its generosity and compassion.'
If you are considering a career in law, my advice is ‘do your absolute best for your client, keep learning and know that there will always be a place for you in the legal profession if you’re willing to work hard.’