What has Suella Braverman said?
SUELLA BRAVERMAN left her role as Home Secretary in November 2023, just over a year after being re-appointed by Rishi Sunak.
The politician, who was also made Home Secretary by former Prime Minister Liz Truss for a brief spell in 2022, spoke out about Sunak’s decision after making controversial comments.
What has Suella Braverman said?
Suella Braverman, who is married to Mercedes manager Rael Braverman, was sacked on November 13, 2023, after calls from the public – and members of her own party – were made for her to lose her job.
She sparked outrage after claiming that the Met Police was “playing favourites” over a November 11 pro-Palestine march.
Ahead of a Gaza march on Armistice Day, Braverman wrote in The Times that the police were favouring left-wing protestors by refusing to ban the demonstration.
She said: “Unfortunately, there is a perception that senior police officers play favourites when it comes to protesters.
“During Covid, why was it that lockdown objectors were given no quarter by public order police yet Black Lives Matters demonstrators were enabled, allowed to break rules and even greeted with officers taking the knee?
“Right-wing and nationalist protesters who engage in aggression are rightly met with a stern response yet pro-Palestinian mobs displaying almost identical behaviour are largely ignored, even when clearly breaking the law?”
The then-Home Secretary claimed to have spoken to serving and former officers who “noted this double standard”.
She also compared aspects of the Palestine marches to the period of politically conflict known as the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
Sunak then came under pressure from some members of the Tory party to fire Braverman after it was reported that she defied orders to edit her remarks.
Others claimed her words “[reflected] public mood”.
Downing Street reportedly made requests to Braverman to make changes to be made to her The Times piece which were ignored, leaving Sunak “livid”.
According to Downing Street’s ministerial code, all newspaper articles must be approved by No10.
Sanctions for defying the code range from a public apology to loss of job.
Then, after fascist thugs clashed with police and pro-Palestine protestors in London at the protest on November 11, critics of Braverman blamed her article for inciting the violence and hatred.
Among those to condemn mother-of-two Braverman’s words were London Mayor Sadiq Khan.
He posted on X, formerly known as Twitter: “The scenes of disorder we witnessed by the far-right at the Cenotaph are a direct result of the Home Secretary’s words.
“The police’s job has been made much harder.”
SNP leader and Scotland’s First Minister Humza Yousaf also criticised Braverman and called for her to resign.
What did Suella Braverman say in her statement after being sacked as Home Secretary?
Braverman gave a brief statement shortly after news of her exit as Home Secretary broke.
The ex-cabinet minister said: “It has been the greatest privilege of my life to serve as Home Secretary.
“I will have more to say in due course.”
It was then reported that Foreign Secretary James Cleverly was set to replace her.