At the announcement of Kwasi Kwarteng as the Chancellor of the Exchequer of the United Kingdom (Minister of Finance), many celebrated him because true to their predictions, he was handed over the job.

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For many others, including Ghanaians across the world, it was another feather in the cup of its people breaking barriers in other parts of the globe.

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And while the job of the Chancellor of the Exchequer is not expected to be any easier on the British-born Ghanaian, many did not quite anticipate that so early into his reign, there would be some major, negative happenings.

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Kwasi Kwarteng under fire for smiling during Queen’s funeral

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On Monday, September 19, 2022, people from all walks of life attended the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II at the Westminster Abbey in London.

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Per GhanaWeb’s checks, four Ghanaians were formally invited to the event for different reasons. Ghana’s First Couple were in London for the event as were two other personalities with Ghanaian parentage who are British.

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Nana Kofi Twumasi-Ankrah, a one-time equerry of the Queen was in attendance, escorting the cortege on its last journey from the Westminster Abbey to the Royal Vault. The fourth Ghanaian was Kwasi Kwarteng.

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Kwarteng, who is British-born but of Ghanaian ancestry, and the current UK Chancellor of the Exchequer (Finance Minister), was also in attendance.

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He, however, courted controversy on social media after he was captured in a viral video smiling at a point during the ceremony – specifically when a two-minute silence had been declared for the memory of the queen.

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Angry social media users – especially on Twitter – called for his head for desecrating what was a solemn occasion for the nation.

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Others also alleged that Kwarteng was smiling at himself because he was most likely picking a personal call and had been told something that gave him cause to smile at a rather off time.

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Kwarteng, as a senior member of Prime Minister Liz Truss’ government, had a prominent seat at the venue of the service.

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Below are some of the critical tweets:

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— Liz Webster (@LizWebsterLD) September 20, 2022

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When Kwasi Kwarteng delivers his mini budget on Friday all opposition MP's should coke up, wipe their brows, sway uncontrollably, and laugh like the laughing policeman. pic.twitter.com/mxPRaQ3aNG

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— DimEagleBuckie ???????????????????????????????????????? ⚛️ ???? ???? ???? (@BuckieDim) September 20, 2022

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Nice to see Kwasi Kwarteng clearly taking a personal call at the Queens funeral and having a bit of a laugh

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The chancellor can't even show any respect at this most solemn occasion#queensfuneral pic.twitter.com/j2KlYS05hN

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— Louis ???????? ???????? 〓〓 ???? Defend the right to vote (@LouisHenwood) September 19, 2022

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— Matt D (@Matt_RuggD) September 19, 2022

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British MP suspended for calling Kwasi Kwarteng ‘superficially’ black

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In the most recent instance, a British Member of Parliament (MP) from the Labour Party, Rupa Huq, has been suspended by her party for alleged racist comments she made against British-born Ghanaian MP, Kwasi Kwarteng.

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According to news.sky.com, the party suspended Rupa Huq for describing Kwasi Kwarteng as a "superficially" black man, pending investigations.

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The report indicated that the suspended MP made racist comments against the chancellor in an audio recording posted online by the Guido Fawkes website.

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"Superficially he is a black man. He went to Eton, I think, he went to a very expensive prep school, all the way through, the top schools in the country.

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"If you hear him on the Today programme, you wouldn't know he is black," Rupa Huq was quoted to have said by news.sky.com.

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The Labour Party condemned the remarks by the MP and urged her to apologise.

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Rupa Huq in a post on social media indicated that she had contacted the UK finance minister to apologise to him in person for the comments she made.

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"I have today contacted Kwasi Kwarteng to offer my sincere and heartfelt apologies for the comments I made at yesterday's Labour conference fringe meeting.

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"My comments were ill-judged and I wholeheartedly apologise to anyone affected," the post she shared read.

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Background on Kwesi Kwarteng:

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Kwasi Kwarteng became the first black person to become UK’s Chancellor of the Exchequer (Finance Minister) following his appointment by UK Prime Minister, Liz Truss, on September 6, 2022.

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Kwarteng was born Akwasi Addo Alfred Kwarteng in Waltham Forest, East London, in May 1975 to Ghanaian parents, Alfred and Charlotte, who had both immigrated to the United Kingdom a decade earlier as students.

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His parents, who went on to become an international economist and a barrister respectively, sent him to an expensive private prep school that produced numerous Cabinet-level politicians. He then attended the famous Eton college — a production line for British leaders including Boris Johnson and David Cameron.

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