Labour puts pressure on Rishi Sunak to ‘come clean over Suella Braverman reappointment’
Labour is urging the government to publish its assessments of Suella Braverman’s security breach following her controversial reappointment as home secretary just six days after she was forced out.
New Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is under growing pressure over reinstating Ms Braverman as home secretary after a former party chair claimed she had committed “multiple breaches” of the ministerial code.
He has so far resisted demands to launch an inquiry after she shared a sensitive document with a Tory backbencher from a personal email without permission.
Both Labour and the Liberal Democrats have raised “national security” concerns over the breach, as well as called for a Cabinet Office probe.
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Labour will try to push ministers to share risk assessments of this and other alleged leaks, as well as the information given to Mr Sunak before he reinstalled her at the Home Office, with a “humble address” motion in Parliament.
Ms Braverman has so far refused to appear before MPs to explain the circumstances surrounding what happened.
Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “Rishi Sunak and Suella Braverman cannot keep running away from these questions. It is far too serious for that, and raises serious doubts about the prime minister’s judgment.
“People need to know they can trust the Home Secretary with highly sensitive information and our national security. Rishi Sunak’s decision to reappoint Suella Braverman was deeply irresponsible.
“Labour will use every parliamentary mechanism open to force government to come clean over her reappointment, to get answers and to require detailed documents to be released to the Intelligence & Security Committee.”
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Why is Braverman’s appointment causing a stir?
Ms Braverman resigned from her post just over a week ago after using her personal email address to forward sensitive government documents, breaking the rules that ministers have to abide by.
But the new prime minister put her back into the Home Office on Tuesday, and stood by the decision after being pressed on it in the Commons on Wednesday.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has called for the home secretary to be sacked and accused Mr Sunak of brokering a “grubby deal trading security for support” in the Tory leadership contest, which he won after receiving Ms Braverman’s backing.
But Mr Sunak has insisted the home secretary has “learned from her mistake” and that he does not regret his decision to reappoint her – despite some Conservative MPs adding their voices to the backlash.
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Conservative MP Caroline Nokes said there were “big questions hanging over this whole issue” and backed opposition calls for an inquiry, while former Tory chairman Sir Jake Berry described the breach as “really serious”.
Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy called for a full investigation into Ms Braverman’s actions and for her to be sacked, telling Sky News: “The home secretary is the most serious job you could have in our state.
“This is a person who makes judgements about terrorism and counter-terrorism, who makes judgements about very, very serious offenders, whether they should be allowed out of prison, and for that reason, it’s someone who, I’m afraid, judgement is critically important.
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Labour: Braverman’s position ‘fragile’
“I’m afraid this is a lapse of judgement that, quite rightly, she was sacked for. The question is, why was she brought back?”
Dubbed “Leaky Sue”, Ms Braverman was reportedly previously investigated by government officials after the leaking of a story involving the security services.
The Daily Mail reported that MI5 played a role in the inquiry after the leak at the time Ms Braverman was attorney general sparked “concern” in the security service.
Martin Lewis says motorists who were mis-sold car finance are likely to receive “hundreds, not thousands of pounds” – with regulators launching a consultation on a new compensation scheme.
The founder of MoneySavingExpert.com believes it is “very likely” that about 40% of Britons who entered personal contact purchase or hire purchase agreements between 2007 and 2021 will be eligible for payouts.
“Discretionary commission arrangements” saw brokers and dealers charge higher levels of interest so they could receive more commission, without telling consumers.
Pics: PA
Speaking to Sky News Radio’s Faye Rowlands, Lewis said: “Very rarely will it be thousands of pounds unless you have more than one car finance deal.
“So up to about a maximum of £950 per car finance deal where you are due compensation.”
Lewis explained that consumers who believe they may have been affected should check whether they had a discretionary commission arrangement by writing to their car finance company.
However, the personal finance guru warned against using a claims firm.
“They’re hardly going to do anything for you and you might get the money paid to you automatically anyway, in which case you’re giving them 30% for nothing,” he added.
Read more: How to tell if you’ve been mis-sold car finance
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Who’s eligible for payout after car finance scandal?
Yesterday, the Financial Conduct Authority said its review of the past use of motor finance “has shown that many firms were not complying with the law or our disclosure rules that were in force when they sold loans to consumers”.
The FCA’s statement added that those affected “should be appropriately compensated in an orderly, consistent and efficient way”.
Lewis told Sky News that the consultation will launch in October – and will take six weeks.
“We expect payouts to come in 2026, assuming this will happen and it’s very likely to happen,” he said.
“As for exactly how will work, it hasn’t decided yet. Firms will have to contact people, although there is an issue about them having destroyed some of the data for older claims.”
He believes claims will either be paid automatically – or affected consumers will need to opt in and apply to get compensation back.
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The FCA estimates the cost of any scheme – including compensation and administrative costs – to be no lower than £9bn.
But in a video on X, Lewis said that millions of people are likely to be due a share of up to £18bn.
The regulator’s announcement comes after the Supreme Court ruled on a separate, but similar, case on Friday.
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