In speaking Punjabi from Tory Party stage, Sajid Javid has made a small piece of history

Sajid Javid hates identity politics and has spent most of his political career avoiding it. But his speech today showed how effective he can be when he discusses his own life story. Having his mum in the hall was quite something: this is a woman who grew up in poverty in the Punjab and came to Britain with nothing. She now looks at her son as Chancellor of the Exchequer. This is what Michael Howard referred to as the “British dream”. She thought it was a big deal when the first Asians moved into Coronation Street, he said: now they’re in Downing Street and still “living above the shop”. And then he spoke to her in Punjabi, asking if she remembers his dad’s first shop which was about a mile away from where he’s standing. “Sorry, that’s between us,” he said after. “I forgot you were there – just trying to make her feel comfortable.”