Suella Braverman news – latest: Home Secretary in fresh code breach claims after speeding row
The home secretary is already facing accusations that she broke the ministerial code after she asked staff to help her dodge a speeding fine
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Suella Braverman is facing fresh allegations that she broke the ministerial code over her failure to formally disclose years of previous work with the Rwandan government.
The home secretary is already facing accusations that she broke the ministerial code after the Sunday Times revealed Ms Braverman asked her staff to help her dodge a speeding fine.
Now Ms Braverman is facing further pressure after she failed to disclose that she co-founded a charity called the Africa Justice Foundation which worked with several key members of President Paul Kagame’s government who are involved in the UK’s £140m deal to send asylum seekers to Rwanda.
Ms Braverman did not officially disclose her previous links to the country when appointed home secretary in 2022, despite ongoing legal challenges alleging politically-driven human rights violations including torture, murder and kidnappings.
One former minister told The Independent that the home secretary “never mentioned” her work with the charity and should have been “upfront and transparent”.
A spokesperson for the home secretary said it was “not necessary” for Ms Braverman to disclose her links with the charity, which she resigned from shortly before being elected to parliament.
Conservative MP Edward Leigh said the country used to have “proper scandals”, involving sex or money, or the illegal invasion of Iraq. “All this moral outrage is ludicrous,” he said in response to an urgent question about the home secretary’s handling of a speeding fine.
He said: “What’s wrong with this country, we used to have proper scandals about sex or money, or about prime ministers invading Iraq on dodgy evidence in which hundreds of thousands of people died.
“Apparently this is a scandal, all this moral outrage is ludicrous that a minister asked her private office about something and she takes their advice... We all know what’s this all about, they’re attacking a good home secretary who is trying to attack the real scandal of mass immigration to this country.”
Cabinet office minister Jeremy Quin replied: “Is this all a storm in a tea cup is the question being asked by (him). The information will be gathered by the Prime Minister... whatever that process, I know that the home secretary is deeply committed to continue to deliver on her incredibly important work of delivering for the British people.”
Watch live: MPs face urgent questions over claims Suella Braverman broke ministerial code
Live: MPs face urgent questions over claims Suella Braverman broke ministerial code
MPs face urgent questions over claims Suella Braverman broke ministerial code. Watch more from Independent TV at https://www.independent.co.uk/tv/editors-pic...
Jeremy Quin said the prime minister will act in a “professional and proper manner.”
Conservative former cabinet minister Jeremy Wright said when he was a member of the committee on standards in public life, it recommended that the independent adviser on ministers’ interests should be allowed to initiate an investigation without waiting to be asked by the prime minister.
Kirsty Blackman, SNP Cabinet Office spokesperson, asked Jeremy Quin to respond to The Independent’s report that the home secretary failed to formally disclose years of previous work with the Rwandan government.
Ms Blackman said any investigation should include information from The Independent’s report.
“This is a descent into absolute farce,” she said.
She added: “Instead of professionalism, accountability and integrity that the Prime Minister promised when he came into office, we are faced with calamity, chaos and corruption... How can the Prime Minister continue to pretend that he’s presiding over a Government with anything other than their own personal interests at heart?”
Cabinet Office minister Jeremy Quin replied: “There is information being gathered and that will be the first point to determine the next steps beyond this.”
Labour’s Lloyd Russell-Moyle (Brighton, Kemptown) asked: “If the Prime Minister is gathering the evidence, he is asking for more information, what is so wrong with just launching an investigation properly through the correct channels?”
Mr Quin replied: “There’s nothing incorrect with the process which is being conducted properly and professionally. The Prime Minister will gather the information and then decide next steps, it’s very simple.”
Cabinet Office minsiter Jeremy Quin said: “The Prime Minister made clear to the House yesterday that he is receiving information on the issues raised.
“Since returning from the G7, the Prime Minister has met both the independent adviser and the Home Secretary and asked for further information.
“It is right that the Prime Minister, as the head of the executive and the arbiter of the Ministerial Code, be allowed time to receive relevant information on this matter.
“Honourable members will be updated on this in due course.”
The prime minister has met with the home secretary, and asked for “further information,” Jeremy Quin said.
He said the prime minister is the “ultimate judge” of the standards expected of a minister.
He added the prime minister “made clear to the House yesterday that he is receiving information on the issues raised” in regards to Ms Braverman.
Jeremy Quin is in parliament now responding to Angela Rayner’s urgent question about the criteria for launching ministerial code breach probes.
Rishi Sunak still considering whether to investigate Suella Braverman, says No 10
Downing Street said Rishi Sunak was still considering whether or not to order an investigation into Suella Braverman’s conduct.
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “He is still looking at all the requisite information.”
Asked about The Independent’s report that Ms Braverman failure to formally disclose years of previous work with the Rwandan government, the PM’s spokesman said: “I haven’t seen that claim.”
He added: “Obviously ministers are required to make the requisite declarations. If the IA [independent adviser on ethics] thinks they are of issue they are then declared.”
Pressed whether Mr Sunak could ask his independent ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus to look into whether or not Ms Braverman should have declared her work, the No 10 spokesman said: “I’m not aware of any plans for that.
“My understanding is that it predates her time as minister. I believe the Home Office have issued a statement.”
All the times Suella Braverman has been accused of breaking ministerial rules
Suella Braverman is facing fresh allegations that she broke the ministerial code over her failure to formally disclose years of previous work with the Rwandan government.
The home secretary is already facing accusations that she broke the ministerial code after the Sunday Times revealed Ms Braverman asked her staff to help her dodge a speeding fine.
These recent accusations are not the only time the home secretary has been accused of breaking ministerial rules.
Here are some of her controversial moments:
Failure to disclose previous work with Rwanda government
The home secretary co-founded a charity called the Africa Justice Foundation with Cherie Blair, which trained Rwandan government lawyers between 2010 and 2015.
Several people the charity worked with are now key members of President Paul Kagame’s government and are involved in the UK’s £140m deal to send asylum seekers to Rwanda.
Ms Braverman did not officially disclose her previous links to the country when appointed home secretary in 2022, despite the deal being a lynchpin of the government’s migration policy and ongoing legal challenges alleging politically-driven human rights violations including torture, murder and kidnappings.
Ms Braverman resigned from her post as director of the Africa Justice Foundation weeks before being elected to parliament, and did not declare her previous role to Home Office permanent secretary Matthew Rycroft last year.
Handling of speeding fine
The Sunday Times reported Mrs Braverman asked Home Office aides to help organise a one-to-one driving awareness course after being caught speeding last summer while attorney general.
Officials refused the request, so the Home Secretary allegedly turned to a political aide to assist her in attempting to arrange an alternative to having to attend a course with other motorists.
The newspaper said multiple requests were made to a speeding awareness course provider by an aide, including asking if the senior Conservative minister could do an online course, but use an alias or have her camera switched off.
Mrs Braverman ultimately chose instead to accept three points on her driving licence.
Email about civil servants
In March, an email sent out to Conservative Party members in Mrs Braverman’s name blamed “an activist blob of left-wing lawyers, civil servants and the Labour Party” for blocking previous attempts to tackle illegal migration.
She was accused of potentially breaking ministerial rules by questioning the impartiality of public servants after the publication of the Government’s Illegal Migration Bill.
Dave Penman, general secretary of the FDA union which represents senior civil servants, said the email amounted to a “direct attack on the integrity and impartiality” of those working in the Home Office.
The Prime Minister’s press secretary told reporters Mrs Braverman “did not see, sign off or sanction” the email, which she said was sent in error.
Sacking after using a personal email for official business
Liz Truss forced Mrs Braverman out as home secretary in October 2022 after she breached the ministerial code by sending an official document to a Tory backbencher from a personal email.
Mrs Braverman, who had been in the role six weeks, said she made a “mistake” which she conceded was a “technical infringement” of the rules.
Six days later, after Ms Truss resigned as prime minister, her successor Mr Sunak reinstated Mrs Braverman.
Both Labour and the Liberal Democrats raised “national security” concerns and demanded a Cabinet Office investigation.
Public clashes with Downing Street
On at least two occasions while Ms Truss was prime minister, she expressed views which put her at odds with Government policy.
Ms Braverman said she had “reservations” about relaxing immigration controls as part of any trade deal with India, telling the Spectator magazine she had “concerns about having an open borders migration policy with India because I don’t think that’s what people voted for with Brexit”.
Her comments were reported to have provoked a furious reaction from ministers and officials in New Delhi.
She also faced criticism from a senior Government source for calling on the UK to leave the European Convention on Human Rights, who said: “Her personal views are contrary to Government policy and if she wishes to make those views known within Government she should do so in a more appropriate setting.”
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