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Suella Braverman has been accused of “sowing the seeds of hatred” by Sir Keir Starmer after her comments about the police and pro-Palestinian marches.

The Labour leader took aim at the home secretary after she branded pro-Palestinian demonstrations, including one which took place on Saturday in central London, “hate marches” and accused the police of “double standards” in the way they handle protests.

Sir Keir said few people in public life had “done more recently to whip up division, set the British people against one another and sow the seeds of hatred and distrust than Suella Braverman”.

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“In doing so, she demeans her office,” he wrote in the Sunday Telegraph.

Bringing the prime minister into view, Sir Keir said Ms Braverman and Rishi Sunak’s treatment of the police and protesters showed a “lack of respect for this country’s values and its principles” after the pair urged police to ban the Armistice Day demonstration.

It follows calls from numerous senior political figures for Ms Braverman to resign, after they blamed her for violence that broke out in the capital.

On Saturday, a total of 126 people were arrested in London.

Far right protesters clash with police

This included 92 people who were arrested in Pimlico, central London. The Metropolitan Police said they were part of a large group of counter-protesters who tried to reach the main pro-Palestinian march in the capital.

Police later said the arrests included a number of pro-Palestine protesters who were detained after a group broke away from the main demonstration.

The demonstrators were wearing face coverings and firing fireworks, some of which struck police officers in the face, Assistant Commissioner Matt Twist said.

Home Secretary to consider banning Pro-Palestine marches on Armistice Day
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Suella Braverman is facing pressure to resign

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said the scenes of disorder were a “direct result of the home secretary’s words”, adding that the police’s job had been made much harder as a consequence.

While shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper called for “calm”, with a swipe at Mrs Braverman for fuelling tensions.

“Everyone must reflect on the impact of their words and actions. It is the responsibility of all of us to bring people together over this weekend, not divide and inflame,” she posted on social media.

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn was one of those in attendance at the march.

Addressing crowds from on top of a fire engine near Vauxhall, he said Mr Sunak and Ms Braverman’s attempt to stop the march from going ahead has been “shamed”.

What unfolds today could impact Braverman’s position as home secretary

Ugly scenes are unfolding in Whitehall. As counter protesters make their way through London, fighting has broken out, dozens have been arrested and already the home secretary’s language is being blamed.

SNP leader Humza Yousaf posted on X: “The far right has been emboldened by the home secretary”, the London Mayor Sadiq Khan says the disorder is a “direct result of her words”.

These are not people who are shy of criticising the home secretary, but others will be making a link between Suella Braverman’s language and the images coming out of Whitehall.

In the last week, senior cabinet ministers have distanced themselves from the home secretary after she repeatedly called pro-Palestinian protests “hate marches” and accused the Met Police of playing favourites.

The Chancellor said her words were “not words I would have used”.

The truth is, it is impossible to know what would have happened if she hadn’t made those comments.

Right wing groups have been in Whitehall in previous weeks, scuffles have broken out and police have been injured. It was always likely there would be significant counter protests on Armistice day.

Suella Braverman’s words certainly don’t seem to have calmed the situation, however.

Last night. the home secretary took a more conciliatory tone, a source close to her confirmed she met the commissioner of the Met Police and emphasised “her full backing for the police”.

But more widespread trouble in the coming hours has to be seen in the political context: Number 10 is not happy with the home secretary for publishing an article without their clearance, her job remains in the balance.

What unfolds today could impact whether Suella Braverman is still home secretary this time next week.

“It seems that there’s one million of us here today in London showing our solidarity with the people of Palestine, so Suella Braverman and Rishi Sunak’s attempt to stop this has been shamed for what it is,” he said.

“They should be ashamed also (of) their vote on the United Nations when they wouldn’t even support a call for a ceasefire in Gaza. Shame on them.”

Ms Braverman asserted that she had given police her “full backing” at a meeting with Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley on the eve of Armistice Day.

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Despite this, Scottish First Minister Humza Yousaf said the far-right had been “emboldened” by Ms Braverman in a post on X.

He wrote: “The far right has been emboldened by the home secretary. She has spent her week fanning the flames of division. They are now attacking the police on Armistice Day.

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Thousands gather for pro-Palestinian march

“The home secretary’s position is untenable. She must resign.”

Nine officers were injured as they prevented a crowd of mainly “football hooligans” reaching the Cenotaph, with Mr Twist calling their “extreme violence” towards the police “extraordinary and deeply concerning”.

Officers later clashed with protesters from both sides in Chinatown and Victoria station.

Mr Twist said “a week of intense debate about protest and policing” helped “increase community tensions”.

‘Rishi Sunak is responsible’

On Friday, Mr Sunak maintained “full confidence” in his home secretary, even after some ministers had already distanced themselves from her after she claimed some people were homeless as a “lifestyle choice”.

He defied calls from Labour and the Liberal Democrats to sack Ms Braverman, but there has been speculation that a ministerial reshuffle could see the home secretary moved.

Layla Moran, a Liberal Democrat MP who has family in Gaza, said the blame for any trouble caused by far-right groups lay with Mr Sunak.

Pro-palestinian protesters march across central London
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Pro-palestinian protesters march across central London

“As the police in central London work to contain the far-right, and everyone starts to blame Suella Braverman, just remember who chose to not only give her the job but also chose not to sack her,” she wrote on Saturday.

“Rishi Sunak is as, if not more, responsible for what happens today”.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper and SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn are appearing on Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips from 8.30am today.

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US Supreme Court will not review IRS case involving Coinbase user data

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US Supreme Court will not review IRS case involving Coinbase user data

US Supreme Court will not review IRS case involving Coinbase user data

A lower court ruling will stand in a case involving a Coinbase user who filed a lawsuit against the IRS after the crypto exchange turned over transaction data.

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First US staking ETF to launch Wednesday, giving investors exposure to Solana

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First US staking ETF to launch Wednesday, giving investors exposure to Solana

First US staking ETF to launch Wednesday, giving investors exposure to Solana

REX Shares will launch the first US staked crypto ETF this week, giving investors direct exposure to SOL with staking rewards.

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Government accused of ‘stark’ contradiction over position on Gaza genocide allegations

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Government accused of 'stark' contradiction over position on Gaza genocide allegations

The government has won a long-running legal challenge about its decision to continue allowing the sale of spare parts for F-35 fighter jets to Israel, while suspending other arms licences over concerns about international humanitarian law in Gaza.

But a key part of its case has highlighted mixed messaging about its position on the risk of genocide in Gaza – and intensified calls for ministers to publish their own assessment on the issue.

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Lawyers acting for the government told judges “the evidence available does not support a finding of genocide” and “the government assessment was that…there was no serious risk of genocide occurring”.

Therefore, they argued, continuing to supply the F-35 components did not put the UK at risk of breaching the Genocide Convention.

This assessment has never been published or justified by ministers in parliament, despite numerous questions on the issue.

Some MPs argue its very existence contrasts with the position repeatedly expressed by ministers in parliament – that the UK is unable to give a view on allegations of genocide in Gaza, because the question is one for the international courts.

For example, just last week Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner told PMQs “it is a long-standing principle that genocide is determined by competent international courts and not by governments”.

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Situation in Gaza ‘utterly intolerable’

‘The UK cannot sit on our hands’

Green MP Ellie Chowns said: “The government insists only an international court can judge whether genocide is occurring in Gaza, yet have somehow also concluded there is ‘no serious risk of genocide’ in Gaza – and despite my urging, refuse to publish the risk assessments which lead to this decision.

“Full transparency on these risk assessments should not be optional; it is essential for holding the government to account and stopping further atrocity.

“While Labour tie themselves in knots contradicting each other, families are starving, hospitals lie in ruins, and children are dying.

“The UK cannot sit on our hands waiting for an international court verdict when our legal duty under the Genocide Convention compels us to prevent genocide from occurring, not merely seek justice after the fact.”

‘Why are these assessments being made?’

“This contradiction at the heart of the government’s position is stark,” said Zarah Sultana MP, an outspoken critic of Labour’s approach to the conflict in Gaza, who now sits as an independent after losing the party whip last summer.

“Ministers say it’s not for them to determine genocide, that only international courts can do so. Yet internal ‘genocide assessments’ have clearly been made and used to justify continuing arms exports to Israel.

“If they have no view, why are these assessments being made? And if they do, why refuse to share them with parliament? This Labour government, in opposition, demanded the Tories publish their assessments. Now in office, they’ve refused to do the same.”

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Judges at the High Court ultimately ruled the case was over such a “sensitive and political issue” it should be a matter for the government, “which is democratically accountable to parliament and ultimately to the electorate, not the court”.

Dearbhla Minogue, a senior lawyer at the Global Legal Action Network, and a solicitor for Al-Haq, the Palestinian human rights group which brought the case, said: “This should not be interpreted as an endorsement of the government, but rather a restrained approach to the separation of powers.

“The government’s disgraceful assessment that there is no risk of genocide has therefore evaded scrutiny in the courts, and as far as we know it still stands.”

Palestinians inspect the damage at an UNRWA school sheltering displaced people that was hit in an Israeli air strike, in Gaza.
Pic Reuters
A Palestinian woman sits amid the damage at an UNRWA school sheltering displaced people. Pic: Reuters
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Pics: Reuters

What is the government’s position?

Government lawyers argued the decision not to ban the export of F-35 parts was due to advice from Defence Secretary John Healey, who said a suspension would impact the whole F-35 programme and have a “profound impact on international peace and security”.

The UK supplies F-35 component parts as a member of an international defence programme which produces and maintains the fighter jets. As a customer of that programme, Israel can order from the pool of spare parts.

Labour MP Richard Burgon said the ruling puts the government under pressure to clarify its position.

“This court ruling is very clear: only the government and parliament can decide if F-35 fighter jet parts – that can end up in Israel – should be sold,” he said.

“So the government can no longer pass the buck: it can stop these exports, or it can be complicit in Israel’s genocide in Gaza.

“On many issues they say it’s not for the government to decide, but it’s one for the international courts. This washing of hands will no longer work.”

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Dozens dead in Gaza after Israeli strikes

Israel has consistently rejected any allegations of genocide.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu branded a recent UN report on the issue biased and antisemitic.

“Instead of focusing on the crimes against humanity and war crimes committed by the Hamas terrorist organisation… the United Nations once again chooses to attack the state of Israel with false accusations,” he said in a statement.

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‘Gaza disinformation campaign is deliberate’

The UK government has not responded to requests for comment over its contrasting messaging to parliament and the courts over allegations of genocide.

But in response to the judgement, a spokesperson said: “The court has upheld this government’s thorough and lawful decision-making on this matter.

“This shows that the UK operates one of the most robust export control regimes in the world. We will continue to keep our defence export licensing under careful and continual review.

“On day one of this Government, the foreign secretary ordered a review into Israel’s compliance with international humanitarian law (IHL).

“The review concluded that there was a clear risk that UK exports for the IDF (Israel Defence Forces) in the Gaza conflict might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of IHL.

“In contrast to the last government, we took decisive action, stopping exports to the Israeli Defence Forces that might be used to commit or facilitate serious violations of international humanitarian law in Gaza.”

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