Rishi Sunak dismissed Home Secretary Suella Braverman from her position after she defied its wishes regarding an article that accused the Metropolitan Police of bias in policing protests. Mrs. Braverman faced allegations of intensifying tensions in the lead-up to protests in London.
Her replacement at the Home Office is James Cleverly, while former Prime Minister David Cameron unexpectedly takes over as Foreign Secretary. Mrs. Braverman expressed that serving as home secretary was “the greatest privilege of my life.”
This dismissal of Suella Braverman initiated a significant cabinet reshuffle led by Rishi Sunak as he reorganizes his top team ahead of the Autumn Statement next week. Steve Barclay assumed the role of Environment Secretary, taking over from Therese Coffey. Victoria Atkins, formerly the Treasury Minister, received a promotion to the position of Health Secretary, succeeding Steve Barclay.
Additionally, the Tory party has appointed Richard Holden as chairman, and Laura Trott has become Chief Secretary to the Treasury, succeeding John Glen.
The House of Lords has granted David Cameron, who has been out of Parliament since 2016, a seat to assume his new position as Foreign Secretary. The Liberal Democrats are urging to block his peerage, citing his lobbying for the collapsed finance company Greensill Capital.
Pat McFadden
Labour MP Pat McFadden criticized Cameron’s appointment, stating it contradicts the prime minister’s claim to offer change from 13 years of Tory failure. Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has sought advice on how MPs can hold Lord Cameron accountable, particularly amid current international crises.
Lord Cameron expressed his desire to be part of a strong team serving the United Kingdom ahead of the general election, emphasizing his agreement with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s leadership.
In July, James Cleverly had declared reluctance to leave his position as Foreign Secretary, but on Monday, he described it as a “huge privilege” and expressed enthusiasm for the role of Home Secretary. He refrained from commenting on distancing himself from Mrs. Braverman’s tenure, stating he intends to perform the job in the best interest of the British people.
Cleverly inherits significant challenges, including the ongoing dispute over pro-Palestinian protests in London. Downing Street reportedly wants him to promptly review police powers to facilitate the banning of marches and prosecution of those glorifying terrorism.
Less than two days into his new role, Cleverly faces a Supreme Court decision on the lawfulness of the government’s Rwanda policy. Individual asylum seekers are expected to pose further challenges to the policy, regardless of the outcome.