Another day, another row involving Suella Braverman. The Home Secretary has penned a comment piece for the Times in which she accuses police officers of employing a ‘double standard’ on protests whereby they take a softer approach to left wing groups than they do right-wing protests.
Braverman accused the Metropolitan police of ‘playing favourites’, likening the pro-Palestinian marches to the sectarian rallies held in Northern Ireland during the troubles. She once again referred to those attending the rallies as ‘hate marchers’. Her piece comes after Sunak warned Mark Rowley – the head of the Met – that he would be ‘held accountable’ if pro-Palestine marches impact this weekend’s Remembrance events.
However, after Rowley and Sunak met, No. 10 put out a much milder statement than Braverman’s op-ed:
It’s welcome that the police have confirmed that the march will be away from the Cenotaph and they will ensure that the timings do not conflict with any Remembrance events. There remains the risk of those who seek to divide society using this weekend as a platform to do so. That is what I discussed with the Metropolitan Police Commissioner in our meeting. The Commissioner has committed to keep the Met Police’s posture under constant review based on the latest intelligence about the nature of the protests.
Now this difference in tone is part down to the simple fact that Braverman’s piece was not cleared by No. 10 before it was published. The No. 10 spokesperson said that Downing Street is ‘looking into the details of what happened in this specific incident’. So while Downing Street was aware of the article, it’s clear not everyone in No. 10 is on board with it – instead some see it as rogue. In a sign of the gap between Sunak and Braverman, No. 10 also refused to endorse Braverman’s comparison with Northern Ireland. Despite all this, No. 10 insists that Sunak has confidence in Home Secretary. Meanwhile, government minister Laura Trott has distanced herself from the phrase ‘hate march’.
Braverman’s critics, who want her moved ahead of the election, have renewed their efforts
With regard to the march, it’s still the case that Braverman and Sunak have common ground: both are concerned that the pro-Palestine march on Saturday is taking place. In government, the concern is not just that it could be ‘disrespectful’ – which as Isabel says here is not usually a reason for cancelling a protest – but that it will lead to serious disorder, which is grounds for cancelling a march. Earlier this week the Met Police themselves said they were concerned about criminal acts by breakaway groups intent on fuelling disorder.
But the tone of Braverman’s comment piece goes further than her colleagues. The Northern Ireland comparison had led the SDLP leader Colum Eastwood to describe her as a ‘pound shop Enoch Powell’. It also comes in a week when Braverman is already under fire from her colleagues for her comment at the weekend suggesting that, for some, rough sleeping is a ‘lifestyle choice’.
As I write in this week’s magazine, Braverman’s declaration that tent-dwellers are making a ‘lifestyle choice’ has sparked a Tory backlash which extends to cabinet. ‘As ever with Suella, she has a point but it’s not the one she has made,’ said one government figure.
Braverman’s critics, who want her moved out of the great office of state ahead of the election, have renewed their efforts. ‘She is distracting from good stories we have to tell,’ said one such MP. ‘The most inspiring thing Rishi has done is not the King’s Speech but refusing to endorse her comments,’ added a former minister. The discontent spreads to some MPs on the right of the party.
Braverman still has MPs very loyal to her – and those who simply don’t see the merit in blue on blue combat. The Home Office WhatsApp support group has seen these MPs turn on the Tory MP Richard Graham for criticising Braverman publicly for her language. But it’s no coincidence that the question now being asked in the Mail today: ‘Is Suella trying to goad Rishi to sack her?’ This seems unlikely – but the Home Secretary is certainly testing the limits of how far she can go.
Now listen to Katy Balls, James Heale and Max Jeffery discuss Braverman’s latest comments on Coffee House Shots:
Comments