British Home Secretary Suella Braverman was sacked on Monday for publicly criticising the police, BBC and AP news agencies reported, paving the way for the shock return of former UK Prime Minister David Cameron to government.
Events escalated on the weekend when the Home Secretary criticised the London police in a Times article, attacking the force for allowing a Palestinian solidarity demonstration to take place on Saturday.
Braverman sustained in her opinion article that a march calling for a ceasefire in Gaza was inappropriate on Armistice Day. The Metropolitan Police allowed the march to go ahead on the grounds of freedom of speech and a low-security risk.
The article did not receive prior approval from the Prime Minister's office at Downing Street, contravening usual protocol.
Far-right whistling
After violent skirmishes broke out on Saturday in London between far-right demonstrators and the police, many pointed the finger at Braverman's words as inflaming tensions, with increased calls for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to sack her.
On Monday morning, Sunak finally went ahead with her removal as Home Secretary. "Today, Rishi Sunak is strengthening his government to drive long-term decisions for a brighter future," stated the governing Conservative party on X (formerly Twitter).
In the following ministerial reshuffle, former British Prime Minister David Cameron has also made a shock return to the UK Government. Now sitting in the House of Lords, Cameron has been appointed as Foreign Secretary, replacing James Cleverly, who was chosen by Sunak to succeed Suella Braverman as Home Secretary.
EU Commisioner Maroš Šefčovič, who has overseen the UK-EU relations, welcomed Cleverley's appointment as Home Secretary, while also thanking him for the constructive work on the Windsor Framework. He added that he looks forward to build on the improved UK-EU relations with the new Foreign Secretary, David Cameron.
Braverman's inflammatory actions
Braverman's comments were viewed as infringing on the operational independence of the police force. They add to a slew of controversies stirred up by the 43-year-old right-wing minister in recent months.
Some of her statements include labelling the arrival of refugees as an "invasion," warning of a "hurricane of migration," and characterising the homelessness crisis as resulting from a "lifestyle choice," while ordering the disposal of any homeless people's tents found on the street.
Braverman initially took the helm as Home Secretary in September 2022, as part of former Prime Minister Liz Truss’ administration. She resigned soon after due to the sending of government documents from a private address. However, just six days later, she was welcomed back into government by the current Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak.
