Suella Braverman’s claims of police bias not signed off by Downing Street

Suella Braverman has defied Rishi Sunak by publishing an explosive article in which she accused police of “playing favourites” with pro-Palestinian protesters without getting sign-off from Downing Street in advance.

The Home Secretary’s comments have been widely condemned and have sparked a fresh row within the Conservative Party, after ministers have in recent days already sought to distance themselves from another broadside by Mrs Braverman.

In her Times piece ahead of a march calling for a Gaza ceasefire that is set to go ahead on Armistice Day despite Government objections, the Home Secretary said “pro-Palestinian mobs” are “largely ignored” by officers “even when clearly breaking the law”.

The article was submitted to Downing Street, but did not get signed off as significant alterations were requested, it was understood.

“The content was not agreed by No 10,” the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said on Thursday.

Contradicting Mrs Braverman’s claims of police bias, the official said: “The Prime Minister continues to believe that the police will operate without fear or favour.”

But Mr Sunak still has full confidence in the Home Secretary, the spokesman said.

He declined to offer judgement on whether she broke the ministerial code, which states that “all major interviews and media appearances, both print and broadcast, should also be agreed with the No 10 Press Office”.

Downing Street said it would “update further” after looking into the “details” of what happened.

Mrs Braverman’s office would not say if she gained clearance, with a source close to her saying: “We don’t comment on internal processes.”

The Prime Minister is facing calls from opposition parties to sack Mrs Braverman over the “irresponsible” and “divisive” remarks which they say fan the risk of unrest this weekend.

Sir Keir Starmer said of Mr Sunak: “He’s got a Home Secretary who is out of control and he is too weak to do anything about it.”

The Labour leader, speaking during a visit to Wolverhampton, said Mrs Braverman was “stoking up tension at the very time we should be trying to reduce tension”.

“She is doing the complete opposite of what I think most people in this country would see as the proper role of the Home Secretary.”

Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey said: “This is a situation of the Prime Minister’s own making. He appointed her knowing she had previously broken the ministerial code yet he was too scared to stand up to her.

“What more will it take for the Prime Minister to do the right thing? It is time for us to move past her pathetic failings and for her to go. Rishi Sunak needs to find his backbone and sack her.”

He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It’s contrary to the spirit of the ancient constitutional settlement with the police, I think it’s contrary to the letter of that constitutional settlement.

“And it is highly regrettable that it has been made.

“These political objections can be made by many, many people, but a Home Secretary of all people is not the person to do this.”

Transport Secretary Mark Harper said “police forces are focused on upholding the law without fear or favour” when asked about his Cabinet colleague’s claims.

He also refused to endorse her characterisation of the protest planned for Saturday as a “hate” march, which she doubled down on in her article.

Home Office minister Chris Philp responded it is “reasonable” for politicians to raise concerns and make sure the police are protecting communities.

Mrs Braverman was not in the chamber because she was “with a close family member who is having a hospital operation this morning”, Mr Philp said.

The Home Secretary’s article is her latest high-profile intervention, with ministers this week refusing to support her claims some people were homeless as a “lifestyle choice”.

Writing in The Times, Mrs Braverman said “there is a perception that senior police officers play favourites when it comes to protesters”.

She said: “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.”

The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims said the senior Cabinet minister’s comments “that fuel hatred are leaving British Muslim communities in the United Kingdom feeling unsafe”.

“When the Home Secretary herself is fanning the flames of hate, and inspiring the far-right, how can British Muslim communities expect to feel safe in Britain,” the APPG said in a statement.

Mrs Braverman’s article reflected her frustration with Metropolitan Police chief Sir Mark Rowley, who has resisted pressure from senior Tories to ban Saturday’s march in London, saying the law would only allow him to do so in “extreme cases”.

Mr Sunak on Wednesday hauled in Sir Mark for an emergency meeting about the march and said he would hold the Scotland Yard boss “accountable” if there was trouble.

The meeting had appeared to ease some of the tension between the Government and the Met, before Mrs Braverman’s broadside.