Cabinet reshuffle: Suella Braverman sacked by Rishi Sunak in 'long-term decision'

The Conservative Party said Rishi Sunak is conducting a ministerial reshuffle as he “strengthens his team in Government to deliver long-term decisions for a brighter future.”

The Press Association is reporting sources at 10 Downing Street have confirmed Suella Braverman has been sacked as home secretary. The sources said Prime Minister Rishi Sunak asked her to leave the Government.

The Prime Minister has taken action following her unauthorised article criticising the way pro-Palestinian protests had been policed.

A No 10 source said the Prime Minister “asked Suella Braverman to leave Government and she has accepted”.

Mrs Braverman said: “It has been the greatest privilege of my life to serve as home secretary.”

Ominously for Mr Sunak, she added: “I will have more to say in due course.”

Sacking one of the leading figures on the Tory right could pose difficulties for the Prime Minister as he seeks to get his party united behind him and ready for a general election expected next year.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly was seen entering No 10 following news of Mrs Braverman’s exit, and it has now been confirmed he has replaced her as Home Secretary.

And in a move which raised eyebrows across Westminster, former prime minister David Cameron was seen in Downing Street, raising speculation that he could be in line for a dramatic return to government.

Speculation has been rife at Westminster that the PM could carry out a ministerial reshuffle as soon as this week which could see her moved, and that speculation came true before most people had clocked into work on Monday morning.

Mr Sunak is looking to tighten the laws to make it easier to ban marches and prosecute those glorifying terrorism, according to several newspapers.

He looks set to press Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley to avoid a repeat of Saturday’s ugly scenes in London when he meets the police chief in the coming days.

He has said both far-right “thugs” and “those singing antisemitic chants and brandishing pro-Hamas signs and clothing” must face “the full and swift force of the law”.

Mrs Braverman meanwhile doubled down on calls for pro-Palestinian protests to be stopped as she warned that London’s streets are “being polluted by hate, violence and antisemitism” and hit out at “sick” chants and placards at Saturday’s march.

Her remarks on Sunday made little mention of far-right counter-protesters she has been accused of emboldening by previously speaking of pro-Palestinian “mobs” and police bias for allowing the rally to go ahead.