Rochdale-born Home Secretary to run for Conservative party leadership

Sajid Javid has thrown his hat into the ring to become the Conservative party leader

Rochdale-born Home Secretary Sajid Javid MP has entered the race to be the next leader of the Conservative party.

Announcing his candidacy on social media on Monday (27 May), Mr Javid said: “I’m standing to be the next leader of the Conservatives and Prime Minister of our great country. We need to restore trust, bring unity and create new opportunities across the UK.

“First and foremost, we must deliver Brexit.”

Mr Javid’s announcement comes as Prime Minister Theresa May announced on Friday (24 May) that she would stand down as leader on 7 June, and would stay as Prime Minister until a new leader is chosen.

In a video, Mr Javid said: “My message is simple: it’s time to rebuild trust, to find unity and to create new opportunities for our country.

“As the results made all too clear, we must get on and deliver Brexit to ensure there is renewed trust in our democracy. We must bridge divides to heal communities, reminding us of our shared values as a United Kingdom.

“We must strengthen our society and economy so everyone can benefit from the opportunities which a prosperous nation provides.”

Mr Javid's father, Abdul, a bus driver, came to the UK from Pakistan in 1961, reportedly with just £1 in his pocket. He settled in Rochdale, where Mr Javid, born in 1969, and his four brothers were born.

Mr Javid, who has four children of his own, tells of how his father was a Labour supporter until the ‘winter of discontent’ of 1978-9, later becoming a supporter of Mrs Thatcher.

Similarly inspired by what he saw as a turnaround in the country's fortunes under the Conservatives, Mr Javid joined the party in 1988.

Mr Javid became an MP in 2010, and became the first Asian male Conservative cabinet minister in 2014.