"the people of the Vale of Glamorgan have placed their trust in me"
History was made when Labour’s Kanishka Narayan became the first MP of colour in Wales.
The politician ousted former Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns from the Vale of Glamorgan.
After the win, he was “excited” to bring “great jobs” and “a sense of prosperity” to the area.
So who is Kanishka Narayan?
Born in Bihar, India, Mr Narayan moved to Cardiff aged 12 and grew up in the capital. He now lives in Barry.
Mr Narayan attended Cathays High School for one year before moving to the prestigious Eton College via a scholarship.
He attended Oxford University where he studied philosophy, politics and economics and then on to Stanford University in California to master business.
Before becoming a politician, Mr Narayan had a career in government advising ministers on public policy.
He also worked in business advising and investing in climate and fintech start-ups across Europe and the US.
He said he was “passionate” about social mobility and justice.
When it comes to volunteer work, Mr Narayan ran a national campaign to help British high streets during lockdown.
He also mentors state school students applying to universities.
Kanishka Narayan became active in politics when he joined the Labour Party at age 18 and worked as a civil servant in the Cabinet Office during David Cameron’s premiership as well as the Environment Department under Liz Truss.
In 2023 he was selected as the Labour candidate for the Vale of Glamorgan constituency.
Shortly after his victory, Mr Narayan said:
“Tonight the people of the Vale of Glamorgan have placed their trust in me and in a changed Labour party to deliver for the community and for this country.
“We are obviously delighted with the result here in the Vale of Glamorgan and now more than anything else we are focussed on total delivery for this community and for the country”
When asked about why Labour has been so successful, Mr Narayan said there was a sense of optimism:
“A desire for change that they’ve expressed in their voting preference but they also know it’s time for honesty and what we’re offering is a sense of honest optimism.
“That’s what this community is looking for, I’m really looking forward to delivering on it.”
Focusing on a return of prosperity, he continued:
“My first priority and I hope the Labour government’s priority is to bring good jobs here, to provide a sense of relief from the cost of living crisis and to bring a sense of deep prosperity back to the Vale of Glamorgan.”
However, Mr Narayan admitted the changes would not be overnight.
“It’s not really a question of how soon they will [see change] but instead a question of how deep and lasting that change is.
“That’s what I think people are looking for in our politics, not quick fixes, but deep long-lasting changes in the community here and the country at large.”
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