A band of brilliant brothers – rise of the Javid boys
HE HAS often spoken of how his father arrived in Britain from Pakistan in 1961 with just £1 in his pocket, working in a mill then becoming a bus driver to support his young family.
And though Sajid Javid has become the first non- white home secretary, he is far from the only member of his family to rise from these humble beginnings to success. In fact, all four of the 48-year-old’s brothers are also at the top of their fields:
NAVY HERO TO TOP COP
AFTER leaving school at 16, Basit served in the Navy for six years – receiving a commendation for bravery – and sailed on HMS Brilliant in the Gulf war.
He then became a police officer, first in Avon and Somerset before joining the west Midlands constabulary and rising to become one of the highest-ranked Asian officers.
Early in his career he gained a public profile, appearing on BBC1 TV show Crime Squad in 1999. The then-constable gave advice on how to stop crimes including pub violence, and was described as a ‘likeable ethnic face’ by one reviewer.
Now a chief superintendent, the 47-year- old is commander of the Solihull police division and has raised concerns about issues that fall under his older brother’s brief.
Basit, who last year won a British Muslim Award, has warned against police budget cuts, writing on Twitter about the ‘very thin blue line’.
And he has also spoken of the need for more officers from ethnic minorities, saying: ‘There needs to be a balanced and proportionate representation, and that is something we have never quite achieved in the UK. I’m Muslim. I also serve my country.’
Speaking about his experiences as a police officer, he has said: ‘I have been in hospital more times than I want you to know from being assaulted on duty or in a car accident and it is not pleasant. It certainly takes its toll on your family life. That’s part of the job though, every day we put ourselves at risk.’
But despite his brother’s impressive CV, Sajid still seems sure of his status as the family’s success story.
He has told his brother: ‘Bas, I have to tell you, Mum still thinks I’m the successful one. It’s not because I’m in the Cabinet or a Privy Counsellor or anything like that. It’s because, when I was secretary of state for culture, I got my photo taken with Deirdre from Coronation Street. That’s something she can really boast about to her friends.’
£11M HOUSING EMPIRE
AT 43, little brother Atif Javid has already built up both a property portfolio worth £11million.
He started as a corporate lawyer, before deciding property was a better route to success. He has said: ‘Making decent money on buy-tolet property in Bristol was like shooting fish in a barrel.’
Like Basit, he too has been known to criticise Government policy, questioning both the law change requiring landlords to check the immigration status of tenants – ‘a minefield’ in a ‘cosmopolitan city’ – and measures putting pressure on buy-to-let landlords.
Atif also complained the Tories had been traditionally seen as a private landlords’ party, but ‘some property investors in Bristol have started to question that loyalty’.
His empire includes 50 houses, blocks of flats he planned and built, and his own letting agency, while Sajid has served as a director on one of his firms. Atif has said: ‘The best part about investing in property is that it is bricks and mortar. You can touch it, you can feel it and it isn’t controlled by some City whizz-kid.’
AWARD-WINNING FIRM
FROM working in insurance, Khalid Javid moved to international banking – and is now a successful financial adviser with his own business. The 49-year-old set up Bristol-based Blackstone Financial Solutions four years ago, and within two years it was named one of Britain’s best mortgage advisers.
SUPERMARKET SUPREMO
NOW 51, Tariq Javid is the eldest brother. Like his father Abdul who, after working as a bus driver, set up a Bristol clothing shop called Scallywags – which eventually went bust in 1992 – Tariq saw his future in retail. He now runs a chain of supermarkets.