Pressure grows on PM to sack Braverman as fallout from counterprotest continues

Suella Braverman is facing growing calls to be sacked by fellow politicians

A government minister failed to back his colleague Suella Braverman’s survival as Home Secretary for another week as she remains under fire for stoking tensions ahead of Armistice Day protests.

Ms Braverman is facing calls to resign, or even be sacked, after writing in The Times that "pro-Palestinian mobs" were "largely ignored" by police "even when clearly breaking the law" and accused officers of "double standards" when it came to right-wing protests.

Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf on Sunday said the home secretary should be sacked and not allowed to resign after "fanning the flames of division".

Nine police officers were hurt in London on Saturday following "extreme violence" from far-right counter protesters in the hours before a pro-Palestine march was due to begin.

Asked about Ms Braverman’s political future, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps told Sky News’ Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips programme: "As you know, and I know well, a week’s a long time in politics. I never make predictions about these things."

Pressed on calls for the home secretary's removal, Mr Shapps said: "The make-up of the Cabinet is entirely a matter for the Prime Minister. He will decide that in his own time."

His lack of endorsement came after Labour’s shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said Ms Braverman cannot stay in her job. She blamed the ugly scenes in London on the home secretary's "appalling and unprecedented attack" on the Metropolitan Police’s operational independence and impartiality.

"I don’t see how she can continue to do this job, she does not have the credibility or the authority to do the serious job of Home Secretary," Ms Cooper said.

"I think this is a matter for Rishi Sunak, I think he needs to deal with this. I think he appointed her and he needs to do something about it, because otherwise all that he shows is he is weak, he doesn’t care about policing and he doesn’t care about the security of our country."

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan added his criticism too, saying: "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."

Ms Braverman rowed back on the comments on Friday and expressed her support for the Met Police, a source close to her said.

Then on Sunday she posted on social media site X condemning the "violence and aggression" from protesters and counter-protesters, while also praising police officers.

One day after the violent scenes in London, Ms Braverman said it was an "outrage" a number of officers had been injured. Mr Sunak has so far maintained confidence in his Home Secretary, even after a week in which ministers also distanced themselves from her claims that homelessness is a "lifestyle choice".

There has been speculation the prime minister will carry out a ministerial reshuffle, which could see her moved, but not before next week’s Supreme Court ruling on the Rwanda deportation policy which she has championed.

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