Suella Braverman – latest: Tory civil war over home secretary police row as Sunak urged to sack her
Leaked WhatsApp messages reveal divided Tory party as MPs clash over home secretary’s protest comments
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Rishi Sunak is facing a Tory civil war as he is urged to sack Suella Braverman over her controversial comments ahead of the pro-Palestine march today.
The home secretary has been accused of stirring “hatred and division” after she claimed the police are biased.
But her job is on the line after Downing Street made clear that it had not approved an extraordinary article in which she accused officers of playing favourites over a pro-Palestine march on Armistice Day.
No 10 says it is investigating after it demanded that changes be made to the piece but the request was ignored. As the home secretary’s claims sparked a furious outcry, one Conservative minister broke ranks to accuse her of fuelling “hatred and division”.
Now, leaked WhatsApp messages between Tory MPs reveal discord in the party as Braverman backers and supporters exchanged heated messages on her comments on the police.
Meanwhile, George Osborne, the former Tory chancellor, said the prime minister risked looking weak if he decided not to axe Ms Braverman.
Far-right groups and football hooligans ‘to descend on London during march’
Far-right groups and football hooligans are preparing to descend on London on Armistice Day as hundreds of thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters march through the capital:
Far-right groups and football hooligans ‘to descend on London during Palestine march’
The most prominent far-right messaging has come from former leader of the English Defence League Tommy Robinson
Two people arrested after Rochdale Cenotaph daubed with ‘free Palestine’ graffiti
Two people have been arrested after a cenotaph was daubed with the words ‘Free Palestine’:
Two arrested after Rochdale Cenotaph daubed with ‘Free Palestine’ graffiti
Greater Manchester Police said the memorial meant a lot to the community and described the incident as ‘deeply upsetting’.
Braverman comments not helpful, says senior Tory
Senior Tory backbencher Tim Loughton has added to mounting criticism of the home secretary, branding her comments “not helpful” and urging the government to let Met commissioner Sir Mark Rowley “get on with the job”.
Mr Loughton told Times Radio: “I haven’t full confidence in some of the comments she’s been making about the demonstrations.”
Opinion: Braverman isn’t a pantomime villain – she’s dangerous
The home secretary is undermining the police, eroding the right to protest, encouraging Islamophobia, stirring up hatred and effectively encouraging violence on the streets, writes Sean O’Grady. Her language is defiantly extreme and, it seems, designed to provoke fear and anger:
Suella Braverman isn’t just some ‘pantomime villain’ – she’s dangerous
The home secretary is inflicting huge damage on our multicultural society, on the party she purports to serve and the constitution of the nation. The question needs to be put: if the government has no respect for the police, why should anyone else?
Politicians not there to dictate to police, says Patel
Ms Braverman’s predecessor as home secretary, Priti Patel, said it was vital to respect the “operational independence” of the police when trying to make sure Covid regulations were enforced – in an apparent dig at her successor.
The ex-home secretary told the Covid inquiry: “Throughout the pandemic I felt that I spent a great deal of time reminding my colleagues of the role of policing ... and also operational independence, and that we as politicians are not there to dictate directly to the police as to when to arrest people and enforce the law.”
Braverman, Tory right standard-bearer, faces doubtful future
The furore over the home secretary’s comments is just the latest in a long line of rows centred on a minister who has often appeared to be a loose cannon:
Suella Braverman, Tory right standard bearer, again faces doubtful future
Suella Braverman has proved a thorn in the Prime Minister’s side with her willingness to deviate from the Downing Street script.
Israel to begin four-hour pauses in Gaza fighting, US says
Israel will begin four-hour pauses in northern Gaza starting today to allow people to flee hostilities, the White House said, in what it called a step in the right direction.
White House national security spokesperson John Kirby said the pauses emerged out of discussions between US and Israeli officials in recent days, including talks US president Joe Biden had with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Mr Kirby said the pauses would allow people to get out of harm’s way and for deliveries of humanitarian aid and could be used as a way to get hostages out.
“We’ve been told by the Israelis that there will be no military operations in these areas over the duration of the pause, and that this process is starting today,” Mr Kirby said.
Protester charged with supporting Hamas near No 10
Terror prosecutors have charged a demonstrator with supporting Palestinian militant group Hamas during a Downing Street protest.
Urslaan Khan, 41, from east London, is accused of expressing an opinion supportive of the proscribed terrorist organisation close to Number 10 on October 17.
He has been bailed to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on November 17.
Five people arrested after Scottish Parliament protest
Five people have been arrested after pro-Palestinian protesters scaled up part of the Scottish Parliament building and unfurled a banner.
The group had attached a Palestinian flag to the awning above the main entrance, along with a banner reading “stop arming Israel”.
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “Five people have been arrested following protest activity on a roof area of the Scottish Parliament building in Edinburgh which took place on Thursday, November 9, 2023.”
Sacking home secretary would show strength, says ex-chancellor
George Osborne has said sacking Suella Braverman would let Rishi Sunak “demonstrate strength” and help him in his bid to be the “change candidate”.
Speaking on his Political Currency podcast, the ex-chancellor said: “The kind of classic political logic now would say, you can’t fire her, you’ll have a big Tory rebellion, she’s too powerful, you’re too weak at the moment to pull that off.
“But there’s another way of looking at it, which is – you’re 20 points behind in the polls, your personal ratings aren’t great. How can you demonstrate strength? How can you demonstrate a gutsy approach? How can you be the change candidate that you say you want to be?
“And if he fired her, there would be a big row, there would be a lot of fireworks. But ultimately, prime ministers tend to win those encounters because the home secretary will suddenly become a backbencher.”
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