Rishi Sunak being first British-Asian PM to be 'celebrated' Rayner says after Nadia Whittome tweet

Rishi Sunak becoming the UK's first south Asian prime minister is "to be celebrated," Labour's Angela Rayner has said, as the leader attended a Diwali reception at No 10.

The deputy leader of the opposition was responding to a tweet by fellow Labour MP, Nadia Whittome, who tweeted that Mr Sunak's appointment "isn't a win for Asian representation".

"He's a multi-millionaire who, as Chancellor, cut taxes on bank profits while overseeing the biggest drop in living standards since 1956," Ms Whittome, who has Asian heritage herself, wrote on Monday.

Ms Whittome deleted the tweet after Labour instructed her to, according to reports.

On Wednesday, Ms Rayner told ITV's Peston: "I just don't think that's the time and the place for it."

Ms Rayner said working-class people often tell her they're grateful for the representation she provides.

The MP for Ashton-under-Lyne also said she gets abuse. “I'll get a lot of it tonight… she's thick as mince, can't string a sentence together, she can't speak properly…”

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She added: "To see Rishi Sunak, from his background becoming prime minister in the UK is a big huge moment for many people who will look at that and say, 'I can do that now.' And I think that's something to be celebrated."

Labour's London mayor Sadiq Khan also hailed Mr Sunak's ascension on Wednesday.

Mr Khan, who is of British-Pakistani heritage, said: “I’m really proud. I’m somebody who’s a British-Asian, I’m somebody born and raised here. These sorts of times you’ve got to put aside party politics".

Later on Wednesday, Mr Sunak said it was “brilliant” to attend Downing Street's reception for Diwali, a Hindu festival. He is the UK's first Hindu prime minister. Sharing an image of the gathering on Twitter, he said he will do everything possible in his role to “build a Britain where our children and our grandchildren can light their Diyas [oil lamps] and look to the future with hope”.