Connect with us

Published

on

Suella Braverman has whipped up a fresh storm of controversy with comments on rough sleepers, pro-Palestinian protesters and police. 

It marks the latest chapter in Ms Braverman’s rapid rise to power and controversial time in one of the cabinet’s top jobs.

Here Sky News looks at the rows that have overshadowed her time in the role.

Pro-Palestinian protesters ‘hate marchers’

The home secretary has described pro-Palestinian protesters as “hate marchers”.

In an article for The Times newspaper, she went even further, adding: “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 response, one former Tory cabinet minister said: “This is wholly offensive and ignorant of where people in Northern Ireland stand on the issues of Israel and Gaza.”

She also accused police of being biased in favour of left-wing protesters.

She claimed: “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.”

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Braverman criticises pro-Palestinian protests

Homeless tents a ‘lifestyle choice’

Ms Braverman stoked controversy with her claims rough sleeping is a “lifestyle choice” and outlined plans to restrict homeless people from using tents.

The home secretary’s crackdown would have reportedly targeted “nuisance” tents, such as those blocking shop doorways, and would have meant charities handing out camping equipment faced being fined.

Pointing to San Francisco and Los Angeles in the US, Ms Braverman said these were examples of where “weak policies have led to an explosion of crime, drug taking, and squalor”.

Her proposal was branded “cruel and ignorant”, with critics accusing her of seeking “to dehumanise people and create a scapegoat in society”.

Here’s exactly what she said.

Speeding row

Ms Braverman was accused of breaking the ministerial code of conduct by asking civil servants to arrange a private speed awareness course after she was caught speeding in 2022.

Rishi Sunak faced pressure to take action and consulted his independent ethics adviser, who advised further investigation was not necessary.

Ms Braverman defended her actions, saying “nothing untoward happened”.

Mr Sunak said that after receiving a letter from Ms Braverman – in which she apologised for causing “distraction” – his decision was “these matters do not amount to a breach of the ministerial code”.

India ‘reservations’

After being knocked out of the race to become Conservative Party leader – and Prime Minister – in the second round of voting, Ms Braverman backed eventual winner Liz Truss – and was rewarded by being appointed home secretary in September 2022.

But within weeks she appeared to defy her own prime minister by revealing she had concerns about government plans to allow more visa flexibility to people coming to the UK from India.

She told The Spectator magazine: “I do have some reservations. Look at migration in this country – the largest group of people who overstay are Indian migrants.”

Her comments reportedly sparked a furious backlash in New Delhi and were said to have almost torpedoed trade deal talks.

Read more:
Does Braverman relish being controversial?
How much longer can Sunak put up with Braverman?

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

‘Any regrets home secretary?’

‘Tofu-eating wokerati’

Ms Braverman also caused a stir as she defended the government’s controversial Public Order Bill, which was aimed at cracking down on disruptive protests.

Describing demonstrators, she claimed those taking part included “the Labour Party, it’s the Lib Dems, it’s the coalition of chaos, it’s the Guardian-reading, tofu-eating wokerati, dare I say, the anti-growth coalition that we have to thank for the disruption that we are seeing on our roads today”.

Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper branded Ms Braverman’s words “astonishing”, adding: “The home secretary actually talked about a coalition of chaos, we can see it in front of us as we speak.”

Email ‘mistake’

But Ms Braverman’s first stint as home secretary then ended after 43 days when she resigned after breaching government security rules.

It emerged that she had sent an official document from her personal email to a backbench MP – which she admitted had been a “mistake”.

But in her resignation letter she took aim at then prime minister Liz Truss, accusing her of breaking “key pledges that were promised to our voters”.

She also expressed “serious concerns about this government’s commitment to honouring manifesto commitments”, particularly on immigration.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

PM refuses to back Braverman

Migrants ‘invasion’ row

Ms Braverman returned as home secretary less than a week after being forced out – after being reappointed to the role by the new prime minister, Rishi Sunak.

But within days she sparked another row after claiming that illegal immigration was “out of control” – while also describing migrants coming to the UK as an “invasion”.

It came amid another controversy as Labour accused her of being silent on Channel crossings and overcrowding at the Manston processing centre in Kent, where outbreaks of MRSA and diphtheria had been been reported.

The site was designed to hold 1,000 people for up to 48 hours, but at the time there were around 4,000 migrants there – more than any UK prison population.

Even her colleagues held back from endorsing her comments, with immigration minister Robert Jenrick telling Sky News: “In a job like mine, you have to choose your words very carefully. And I would never demonise people coming to this country in pursuit of a better life.”

‘Cowardly attack’ on civil servants

Ms Braverman was then accused of carrying out a “cowardly attack” on civil servants in March 2023 after an email was sent to Tory supporters blaming government workers for blocking plans aimed at stopping small boats crossing the Channel.

The letter claimed an “activist blob of left-wing lawyers, civil servants and the Labour Party” had prevented the government from tackling the issue.

The email, which prompted fury from the FDA civil servants union, had the home secretary’s name at the end, implying she had written and signed it.

However, Cabinet Secretary Simon Case later said someone else was responsible and insisted that Ms Braverman “did not see, sign off or sanction the email” before it was sent – while Conservative chairman Greg Hands apologised “for the error”.

Rwanda rows

Ms Braverman has also attracted controversy over her enthusiastic backing of the government’s policy of deportation flights to Rwanda. The policy was launched in April 2022 under her predecessor Priti Patel, but is yet to get off the ground.

The first flight was set to take off in June 2022 with four people on board, but was halted after a number of legal challenges and an intervention by the European Court of Human Rights, which said the plan carried “a real risk of irreversible harm”.

Ms Braverman, who visited the country in March for a tour of potential migrant housing, previously described front page news confirming the deportation of people to Rwanda as her “dream”, and said it was her “obsession” to see a plane take off under the scheme.

But both her rhetoric and the policy have been heavily criticised, including by refugee charities. They have described the plans as “cruel and nasty” and argue they will do nothing to deter people from travelling across the Channel.

‘Far-right narratives’

Ms Braverman was further criticised earlier this year for claiming that grooming gang members are “almost all British Pakistani”.

She also told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme: “What we’ve seen is a practice whereby vulnerable white English girls, sometimes in care, sometimes who are in challenging circumstances, being pursued and raped and drugged and harmed by gangs of British Pakistani men who’ve worked in child abuse rings or networks.”

Click to subscribe to the Sophy Ridge on Sunday podcast

Dozens of organisations, medical bodies and business leaders urged her to withdraw the comments, accusing her of “amplifying far-right narratives”.

The remarks were also criticised as factually inaccurate given a Home Office-commissioned study in 2020 found that group-based child sexual exploitation offenders are most commonly white males under 30.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Is Suella Braverman looking for the top job?

‘Leadership pitch’

Ms Braverman was also accused back in May of undermining Rishi Sunak with a speech at the National Conservatism conference which some saw as a pitch by her to become new Tory leader.

Former cabinet minister Robert Buckland suggested to Sky News at the time that she should “concentrate on the job” of being the home secretary.

Continue Reading

Politics

Final two candidates confirmed in Labour’s deputy leadership race

Published

on

By

Final two candidates confirmed in Labour's deputy leadership race

Left-wing MP Bell Ribeiro-Addy has said she did not secure the nominations required to make it into the next round of Labour’s deputy leadership contest.

It means it is now a two-horse race between Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson and former Commons leader Lucy Powell, after the other three contenders pulled out.

Politics Live: Read Lord Peter Mandelson’s letter to US embassy staff after being sacked

In a statement on social media, Ms Ribeiro-Addy said: “Unfortunately, I have not secured the high number of nominations required to proceed in the deputy leadership contest.

“I am disappointed that the full range of Labour members’ views will not be represented on the ballot paper.”

The required nominations from fellow Labour MPs was 80, which Ms Phillipson surpassed yesterday evening with 116 votes. Ms Powell was just shy of the threshold at 77 as of 7pm Wednesday, however many MPs have declared their backing for her since so she is expected to make it through.

Bell-Ribeiro-Addy
Image:
Bell-Ribeiro-Addy

The deadline to reach 80 was 5pm Thursday, with a final tally expected to be published later this evening.

More from Politics

Nominations only opened on Tuesday, leading to accusations from the left of a “stitch-up” aimed at preventing outsiders from having time to shore up a high level of support. (80 MPs is 20% of the parliamentary party).

Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee decided on the rules of the contest, which was triggered by the resignation of Angela Rayner after she admitted to underpaying stamp duty on a flat she bought in Hove.

Initially six people entered the race but housing minister Alison McGovern dropped out on Wednesday afternoon, conceding she was not going to get the support required. She had just two official nominations at the time.

Dame Emily Thornberry and Paula Barker withdrew this morning, having less than 15 nominations each as of last night’s tally.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Length of race ‘doesn’t feel right’

Many MPs had wanted a third candidate to make it to the next round to offer an alternative to Labour members, who will decide on the winner, as Ms Powell and Ms Phillipson are seen to be similar.

Ms Powell, the MP for Manchester Central, was a member of government until last week when she was sacked in Sir Keir Starmer’s reshuffle.

One reluctant backer told Sky News that while she is “more left than Bridget” she is “hardly a socialist”.

However, another of her supporters said she gave an impressive pitch at an online hustings event on Wednesday night, when she argued that no longer being in government would work in her favour.

They told Sky News: “Her pitch is that she’s been the shop steward of the parliamentary Labour Party (PLP) in government, but now she’s not in government, she can dedicate herself to the role of deputy leader full time without a department to run. She wants to focus on defining our voter coalition and making sure we’re speaking to them.”

The same MP suggested Ms Phillipson might be too busy to take on the deputy leadership role properly, especially as she is overseeing reforms to SEND (Special Educational Needs and Disabilities) “which could be a horror show”.

However, while Ms Powell might be the preferred choice for those who want a candidate independent of the party leadership, Ms Phillipson is popular with MPs loyal to the government.

The contest is an unwelcome distraction for Sir Keir, who just last week launched his phase two “reset” following a difficult first year in office and weeks of negative headlines on immigration.

This was before the row over Ms Rayner’s tax affairs kicked off – forcing her to also quit as housing secretary and deputy prime minister and sparking a wider government reshuffle.

Continue Reading

Politics

Zodia Custody ends Japan venture with SBI in ‘mutual decision’: Report

Published

on

By

Zodia Custody ends Japan venture with SBI in ‘mutual decision’: Report

Zodia Custody ends Japan venture with SBI in ‘mutual decision’: Report

Standard Chartered-backed Zodia Custody has exited its Japan venture with SBI Holdings after two years, with both firms calling the move a strategic realignment.

Continue Reading

Politics

MPs want Mandelson back in Britain to face questions over Epstein ties

Published

on

By

MPs want Mandelson back in Britain to face questions over Epstein ties

MPs are demanding Peter Mandelson appears on British soil to give evidence on his relationship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

But there is frustration within parliament at Lord Mandelson’s ability to avoid scrutiny, as Sir Keir Starmer faces mounting pressure to sack him as ambassador to the US over his links to the deceased billionaire.

It comes after it emerged the Labour peer, who has said he wishes he had never met Epstein, had written him a 2003 birthday note in which he described him as his “best pal”.

According to reports in Bloomberg and The Sun, he also sent Epstein messages of support while he was being investigated for sex offences, telling him he was “following you closely and here whenever you need”.

Politics Hub: Follow the latest from Westminster

Sky News has learned that the powerful Foreign Affairs Select Committee of MPs made a request to hear from Lord Mandelson after he was appointed by Sir Keir last year, but this was blocked by the Foreign Office.

Lord Mandelson‘s status as a member of the House of Lords means the committee cannot force him to appear before them. People overseas can also not be compelled to give evidence.

Committees have the power to summon people to give evidence and find them in contempt of parliament if they do not comply.

Lord Mandelson’s failure to appear adds to the controversy around a lack of government transparency sparked by the decision to not let national security adviser Jonathan Powell give evidence to the Joint Committee on the National Security Strategy.

Mike Tapp, the Home Office minister, told Sky News that it is “important we have full answers” on Lord Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein.

Asked if he should face the scrutiny of parliamentary committees, Mr Tapp said: “What is important to me, and I’m really clear on this, is we do have the full answers on this.

“But Sir Keir Starmer has been clear yesterday in the House that all of the answers are there.”

Conservative MP and FAC member Aphra Brandreth is the only person on the committee to publicly call for Lord Mandelson to give them evidence on the ambassador’s links to Epstein.

Sky News understands that others on the committee are keen for Lord Mandelson to speak to them, but have decided not to go public. As the committee make-up mirrors that of parliament, most members are Labour MPs.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Beth’s breakdown: PM grilled over Mandelson

Read more on Mandelson:
Starmer backs his ambassador
What was his relationship with Epstein?
The disconnect between his claims and letters to Epstein

Ms Brandreth said in a statement: “At a time of huge instability around the globe, it’s vital that the UK’s ambassador to the US is focused completely on his job

“As a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee, I would welcome the opportunity to question Lord Mandelson on his ability to carry out his duties to the UK.”

She shared a letter written by fellow Tory MP and former Foreign Affairs Select Committee chair Alicia Kearns.

In the letter, Ms Kearns called on current chair Dame Emily Thornberry to summon Lord Mandelson, question him and put the concerns of MPs to him.

Ms Kearns also wants to know what questions Dame Emily has asked the Foreign Office since the appointment of Lord Mandelson, and to find out “how substantial” his relationship with Epstein was.

Ms Kearns told Sky News: “Months and months have passed with no action from the chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, instead, there has been an unsettling silence from her on all things Mandelson.

“I would have summoned Mandelson long ago, it’s the chair’s duty to get the answers parliament deserves. It’s all too evident Thornberry has long been focused on her next role, not the one she’s been elected and paid to do.”

In January, Dame Emily raised Lord Mandelson’s appointment with Foreign Office minister Stephen Doughty.

She said the appointment was “inspired” – before asking the minister and government to “allow Lord Mandelson the time to come before my committee before he leaves for the United States”.

Mr Doughty said: “I am sure that we will consider any request that my right honourable friend makes in due course in the normal way in which we consider requests from her committee.”

The FCDO has been approached for comment.

Sky News’ deputy political editor Sam Coates reports that the lead civil servant in the Foreign Office, Ollie Robbins, has written to Lord Mandelson to ask a series of questions.

These questions include: When did you last meet Jeffrey Epstein before he took his own life? When did you last accept hospitality? What were your last business dealings with?

It is not known if Lord Mandelson will respond.

👉 Follow Trump100 on your podcast app 👈

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Will Lord Mandelson have to be replaced in US?

Meanwhile, Labour MPs Andy McDonald, Bell Ribeiro-Addy and Kim Johnson have called for Sir Keir to sack Lord Mandelson.

The SNP’s Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn, also urged the prime minister to remove Lord Mandelson without further delay – warning his “reputation is now on the line”.

But a source within diplomatic circles who has known Lord Mandelson told Sky News correspondent Rhiannon Mills they believe the US ambassador “can ride it out”.

“Unless there is worse to come, if he can stomach the attention, he can ride it out. In the UK residence in Washington, with its grounds and security, it is easy to hide away,” the source said.

“The most important part of Mandelson’s role as ambassador is his relationship with the US administration, they will not be the least bit fussed about this. They have bigger problems.

“This isn’t going to be a big story in the States as the focus is on Trump and dozens of other prominent American figures. The US press have lots of other fish to chase”.

Continue Reading

Trending