Rishi Sunak urged to sack Suella Braverman over ‘deeply offensive’ article on pro-Palestinian marches
Rishi Sunak has been urged to sack Suella Braverman after she accused the Metropolitan Police of “playing favourites” with how it handles controversial protests.
Ms Braverman has been criticised for using “inflammatory” language in an article for the Times newspaper.
The home secretary once again described pro-Palestinian protesters as “hate marchers” and added: “I do not believe that these marches are merely a cry for help for Gaza.
“They are an assertion of primacy by certain groups – particularly Islamists – of the kind we are more used to seeing in Northern Ireland.
“Also, disturbingly reminiscent of Ulster are the reports that some of Saturday’s march group organisers have links to terrorist groups, including Hamas.”
In a rebuke to the Metropolitan Police, which is allowing a pro-Palestine march to go ahead on Armistice Day, Ms Braverman said the force was guilty of “double standards” by taking a more lenient approach to left-wing demonstrations than right-wing ones.
She also repeated her claim that the pro-Palestine marches that have been taking place across the UK were “hate marches” similar to those seen in Northern Ireland – comments that were branded “wholly offensive and ignorant”.
Labour’s shadow business secretary Jonathan Reynolds branded Ms Braverman “out of control” and told Sky News Mr Sunak should “of course” sack her if he had not signed off on the article.
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“Where is the prime minister on this?” he asked. “Do we believe the prime minister signed off that kind of inflammatory rhetoric? He won’t tell us.
“If you have a home secretary that is so out of control, so divisive, so inflammatory, undermining the police and, therefore, the national security and safety of the public, that’s not someone who should be home secretary.”
Sky News has confirmed that Downing Street did not fully sign off the home secretary’s article. It is understood Number 10 were sent it and suggested changes that were not then carried out.
Labour was joined by the Liberal Democrats in calling on Mr Sunak to sack Ms Braverman, with party leader Sir Ed Davey accusing Ms Braverman of “putting police officers in harm’s way”.
“The home secretary’s irresponsible words and foul actions have significantly increased the likelihood of unrest this weekend and the risk of violence towards officers,” he said.
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In an urgent question in the House of Commons, policing minister Chris Philp defended Ms Braverman and said it was “reasonable for politicians” to raise “concerns and make sure that the police are protecting those communities”.
He insisted the government “resolutely backs the question of operational independence”.
In the article, Ms Braverman wrote: “Unfortunately, there is a perception that senior police officers play favourites when it comes to protesters.
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Minister: ‘I would not describe them as hate marches’
“During COVID why was it that lockdown objectors were given no quarter by public order police yet Black Lives Matters demonstrators were enabled, allowed to break rules and even greeted with officers taking the knee?
“Right-wing and nationalist protesters who engage in aggression are rightly met with a stern response yet pro-Palestinian mobs displaying almost identical behaviour are largely ignored, even when clearly breaking the law?”
In response, the Met Police said they would “not be commenting at this time”.
Earlier this week its commissioner, Sir Mark Rowley, confirmed that the demonstration on Saturday would go ahead because the “legal threshold” to stop it on security grounds “had not been met”.
Meanwhile, one former Tory cabinet minister told Sky’s political editor Beth Rigby that Ms Braverman’s comments were “wholly offensive and ignorant of where people in Northern Ireland stand on the issues of Israel and Gaza”.
“It would be good to know what she knows about what Northern Ireland people think about the current Israel-Palestine situation before she casts aspersions,” they said.
More on this story:
Does Braverman relish being controversial?
Braverman has displayed breathtaking ignorance on NI
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Harper refuses to comment on Braverman
“It’s clear that the home secretary is only looking after her misguided aspirations for leader than responsible leadership as a home secretary.”
A senior Tory MP branded the home secretary an “embarrassment”.
“The Conservatives have always been a party of fundamental decency. This is either ignorantly whipping up division [bad enough] or it’s being done deliberately, which is just shameful. When a hotch-potch of thugs and hooligans choose to kick off on Saturday she can look to herself as an enabler.”
Another former Tory cabinet minister said while he agreed with Ms Braverman about the nature of the marches, “this would be a bad hill to die on”.
“I think Suella wants to lock down the right ahead of next year, but this would be a bad hill to die on,” they said.
“I don’t think Number 10 really disagree with her and she seems to be trying very hard to stir a needless fight with them.”
Pointing to potential difficulties Mr Sunak may face if he did sack Ms Braverman, the former cabinet minister said any action against her could mobilise supportive MPs to trigger a no confidence vote in his leadership.
Mr Sunak confirmed on Wednesday that the pro-Palestinian march on Armistice Day would go ahead, but said Sir Mark would be held “accountable” for his decision to give the event the green light.
The route marchers plan to take on Armistice Day
Tens of thousands have demonstrated in London in recent weeks over Palestinian deaths in the Israel-Hamas war – with 29 arrested during a fourth week of protests last Saturday, during which fireworks were thrown.
Organisers of this Saturday’s protest say it will be “well away” from the Cenotaph – going from Hyde Park, around a mile from the war memorial in Whitehall, to the US embassy – and won’t start until after the 11am silence.
Kazakhstan, the Maldives and Pakistan have recently outlined ambitions to position themselves as crypto hubs and build out their digital economies.
Historically, these countries haven’t been top of mind for global crypto firms — though Kazakhstan did have a brief moment in the spotlight as a go-to destination for Bitcoin (BTC) miners after China’s mining ban.
Meanwhile, established financial centers are now in a race to become the world’s leading crypto hub by finding the right balance of regulation, talent, capital and infrastructure.
Here’s how five of them are backing their crypto dreams.
Singapore is the crypto hub with parental guidance
Singapore has long stood out as a financial hub, bolstered by its AAA credit rating, low corporate tax rates and pro-business regulations. With the emergence of digital assets, the Lion City is among the front-runners in the crypto hub race.
Singapore was among the early movers in crypto regulation. Its Payment Services Act (PSA) of 2019 — enacted in 2020 — was one of Asia’s first comprehensive legal frameworks that covered crypto activities.
The PSA uses the term “digital payment token” (DPT) to define digital representation of value that can be transferred, stored or traded electronically — like crypto.
At the time of writing, there are 33 DPT service providers licensed by the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), the city-state’s central bank. Casper Johansen, co-founder of Singapore- and Hong Kong-based Spartan Group, said license approvals have moved at a measured pace, giving faster-moving hubs like Dubai room to catch up.
“Singapore is more of an institutional financial hub than a retail financial hub,” Johansen said, alluding to the city-state’s limitations on crypto marketing to retail investors.
“The ban on marketing to retail has not affected Singapore’s position as a global crypto hub. Crypto firms set up in Singapore for the low and transparent taxes, strong regulatory framework and rule of law, world-class professional services, ease of living and global connectivity,” Johansen added.
But cracks have emerged recently, particularly around immigration and hiring policy. In late 2024, concerns flared when the CEO of blockchain analytics firm Nansen, Alex Svanevik, shared that he was denied permanent residency. The government has ramped up efforts to prioritize local hiring amid growing political sensitivity over foreign labor.
UAE rolls out the welcome mat for crypto hub status
Unlike other crypto hub contenders, Dubai has a dedicated digital asset regulator, the Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority (VARA).
Its wide-ranging licensing regime provides clear guidelines — even for NFT platforms — which major economies like the European Union have yet to address. The EU’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework currently excludes NFTs.
VARA’s clarity is appealing to companies frustrated by regulatory uncertainty elsewhere. Binance, a borderless exchange with no official head office, has had to rethink that model under global regulatory pressure — and the exchange’s ties to the UAE have been growing.
Richard Teng, former CEO of free zone Abu Dhabi Global Market, took over as the CEO of Binance after Zhao, and has recently hinted that UAE is a strong candidate for the exchange’s headquarters, though a decision hasn’t been made yet.
The UAE also provides its own incentives, such as no personal income tax and free zones like the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) and Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) offer 0% corporate tax advantages and 100% foreign ownership.
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Crypto firms have reported easier access to banking services in Dubai, which is an improvement over the challenges companies say they’ve faced in the US under “Operation Chokepoint 2.0.”
Hong Kong makes crypto hub push with retail access and staking ETFs
Hong Kong has long acted as a financial gateway to mainland China, where crypto activities like mining and trading remain banned.
Previously, the city had a voluntary licensing regime, when only OSL and HashKey were licensed to serve institutions and professional investors. In Hong Kong, professional investors are legally defined as those with portfolios worth at least 8 million Hong Kong dollars (about $1 million).
It was later updated to the mandatory regime, launched in 2023, which opened the doors to retail.
The shift to mandatory licensing marked a turning point. OSL and HashKey became the first exchanges authorized to serve retail investors, while firms like Bybit and OKX withdrew their applications and exited the market. As of now, 10 platforms are licensed, while 15 have either withdrawn or been rejected.
Hong Kong has made further strides with the listing of Bitcoin and Ether (ETH) ETFs, and recently approved staking within Ether ETFs, which is not yet permitted in the US. It has also introduced stablecoin sandboxes under the supervision of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority to trial approved digital assets in a controlled environment.
“Sandboxes are an experiment, so too are staking ETFs,” said Kelvin Koh, a Spartan Group co-founder. “The key point is that these experiments are happening in Hong Kong.”
Hong Kong recently released its ASPIRe roadmap in February 2025, which aims to foster blockchain innovation and fill regulatory gaps to set the city up as a global crypto hub.
Trump 2.0 dreams of crypto hub
US crypto firms were stuck in regulatory gridlock under the Securities and Exchange Commission formerly led by Gary Gensler, whose aggressive “regulation by enforcement” strategy triggered years-long legal battles.
That changed with the inauguration of President Donald Trump, who has embraced a crypto-friendly stance. The SEC has since dropped multiple high-profile cases and investigations, including those against Coinbase, Uniswap and Consensys, signaling a shifting regulatory climate that is prepared to welcome back crypto to US soil.
President Trump declares the US the future capital of AI and crypto. Source: The White House
Binance.US resumed US dollar services in February after 18 months of restriction that followed enforcement action from the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, a $2.7-billion settlement and a four-month prison sentence for ex-Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao.
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Rival exchange OKX reentered the US market in April 2025 after a $500-million settlement with the Department of Justice. Also in April, Nexo announced — during an event with Trump’s son in attendance — that it rekindled its American dream after scrapping it in 2022.
Traditional finance is warming up, with institutional investments flooding into Bitcoin and Ether spot ETFs, provided by some of the world’s largest asset managers, including the $11.5-trillion giant BlackRock.
The financial love affair goes both ways as crypto firms are also increasingly open to integrating into the existing US infrastructure.
Galaxy Digital listed on Nasdaq on May 16, Circle is considering another IPO attempt, and Hong Kong’s blockchain unicorn Animoca Brands is now eyeing a New York listing, citing Trump’s stance on crypto.
The world’s largest financial center, New York City, is making its own move. Mayor Eric Adams said on May 12 that the Big Apple is “open for business” with crypto companies.
UK’s crypto hub push goes quiet, but London’s still calling
In 2023, then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak launched a bold vision to make the UK a global crypto hub, pushing for stablecoins to be recognized as regulated payment instruments and outlining a broader framework to integrate crypto into the country’s financial system.
That momentum translated into real movement: In April 2025, the UK Treasury released near-final legislation aimed at bringing crypto assets — like trading platforms, stablecoins and staking services — within the country’s regulatory perimeter.
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) is now consulting on how to regulate intermediaries, lending and other core parts of the ecosystem, signaling continued regulatory development.
But while the machinery of regulation keeps turning, the political will has cooled. As Arvin Abraham, partner at law firm Goodwin’s private equity group, told Cointelegraph, crypto was once central to Sunak’s competitiveness agenda, but under the current Labour government, that focus has faded.
The new Financial Services Growth and Competitiveness Strategy, spearheaded by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, highlights fintech as a priority without a focus solely on crypto.
“The UK does not feel like it’s prioritizing it as much as it was a few years ago,” Abraham said.
Abraham added the UK remains “one of the best places to set up a new startup,” especially for early-stage capital raising.
He points to generous tax incentives for angel investors and the unique convergence of finance and startups in London, calling it “probably one of the best cities in the world for fintech-type businesses.”
In that sense, even without headline-grabbing crypto policy, the UK’s structural appeal still draws Web3 firms — just now with a quieter backdrop.
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The UK and the EU have agreed a new trade deal – five years after Brexit kicked in.
Following six months of talks after Sir Keir Starmer promised a fresh deal when he became prime minister last July, the two sides have come to an agreement.
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The two sides agreed the deal ahead of a UK-EU summit in London. Pic: Reuters
Here are the details:
eGates
British passport holders will be able to use more eGates in Europe to avoid the long border control queues that have become the norm since Brexit in many EU countries.
Pet travel
Pet passports will be brought back so cats and dogs coming from the UK will no longer need pricey animal health certificates for every trip. After Brexit, pet owners had to get a certificate from a vet in the UK then a vet in the EU before returning.
Pets will now be allowed to travel on a pet passport instead of having to have a health certificate every time they travel. Pic: iStock
Red tape on food and drink sales
A new sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) deal has been agreed to reduce red tape currently needed to import and export food and drink between the UK and the EU.
There is no time limit to this part of the deal, which the government says will reduce the burden on businesses and reduce lorry queues at the border.
The “vast majority” of routine checks and certificates for animal and plant products will be removed completely, including between Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
The government says this could lower food prices and increase choice on supermarket shelves.
Some British foods that have been prevented from being sold in the EU since Brexit will be allowed back in again, including burgers and sausages.
Fishing rights
The current fishing deal agreed in 2020 will continue for 12 years.
There will be no increase in fish quotas.
British fishing rights will continue for 12 years. Pic: PA
EU fishing vessels can fish in UK waters, but they require a valid licence, and there are annual negotiations on access and share of stock.
The UK government has announced a £360m investment into the fishing industry to go towards new technology and equipment to modernise the fleet, train the workforce, help revitalise coastal communities, support tourism and boost seafood exports.
Defence
A new security and defence partnership has been agreed so the UK defence industry can participate in the EU’s plan for a £150bn defence fund called Security Action for Europe (SAFE). This will support thousands of British jobs.
The UK and EU will also enhance cooperation over maritime security and accident reporting.
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Reeves: ‘Today is a really big day’
Carbon tax
The deal will see closer co-operation on emissions by the UK and the EU, linking their own emissions trading systems.
The UK’s scheme sets a cap on the total amount of greenhouse gas emissions allowed from the power generation sector, energy-intensive industries and aviation, with companies issued allowances that they can trade with each other.
Under the deal, UK businesses will avoid being hit by the EU’s carbon tax, due to come in next year, which would have handed £800m to the EU.
Steel
British steel exports will be protected from new EU rules and tariffs to save UK steel £25m a year.
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Sam Coates says plenty more negotiations will need to take place before a final agreement is reached.
Further talks:
Youth mobility scheme
The UK and the EU have agreed to more negotiations on a youth mobility scheme to allow people aged 18-30 in the UK and the EU to move freely between countries for a limited period.
The scheme would include visas for young people working, studying, volunteering, travelling and working as au pairs.
Erasmus
The EU and the UK have agreed they should work towards an Erasmus programme, the student exchange programme which was scrapped when Brexit took place.
Catching criminals
The two sides have agreed to enter talks about the UK having access to EU facial image data to help catch dangerous criminals.
They will also encourage Europol and the UK’s National Crime Agency to cooperate over criminal threats and exchanging information about terrorism and other serious crimes.
Migration
The two sides have agreed to further work on finding solutions to tackle illegal migration, including on returns and a joint commitment to tackle Channel crossings.
They will also begin talks on making it easier for people to get visas to work in the UK and the EU and recognising professional qualifications.
Analysis sharing on visa abuse by third country nationals will also be considered.
Electricity
The UK and the EU said they should explore the UK’s participation in the EU’s internal electricity market, including in its trading platforms.
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