Speculation is mounting about the possibility of an imminent cabinet reshuffle by Rishi Sunak – one which could see Suella Braverman ousted as home secretary.
Sources have told Sky News’s deputy political editor, Sam Coates, that the possibility of a reshuffle has already been discussed.
“Until the formal confirmation of a reshuffle, we won’t know for sure whether Rishi Sunak intends to oust his home secretary on a charge, effectively, of disobedience,” he says.
“We do know, however, it has been discussed, and while we don’t know the resolution yet, one Whitehall source put the odds as high as 90% on Sunday afternoon that it would be a Monday.”
Sunak’s Braverman dilemma: What’s more important – being right or being strong?
Rishi Sunak and Suella Braverman pictured during a meeting in April
Ms Braverman has been accused of heightening tensions with an article she authored last week in The Times, which accused the Metropolitan Police of having double-standards on how it polices different protests based on political affiliation.
Mr Sunak has faced calls from Labour to sack his home secretary following the article, while Downing Street is currently investigating how it was published without edits they had wanted to be made.
The prime minister appeared to play down any potential rift between him and Ms Braverman on Friday, saying he had “full confidence” in his home secretary.
However, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps refused to say, when asked, whether Ms Braverman would remain in post in a week’s time.
Instead, he told Sky News’s Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips that a “week is a long time in politics” and that he would not be making any predictions.
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‘A week is a long time in politics’
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On Sunday night, Ms Braverman doubled down on calls for more action to be taken against pro-Palestine protesters.
In a series of posts on X (Twitter), Ms Braverman said “further action is necessary” against the protests, which were resulting in “the streets of London… being polluted by hate, violence, and antisemitism”.
The home secretary paid tribute to officers, saying “our brave police officers deserve the thanks of every decent citizen for their professionalism in the face of violence and aggression from protesters and counter-protesters in London yesterday”.
“That multiple officers were injured doing their duty is an outrage.”
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It was a marked contrast to last week, when she accused the Metropolitan Police of holding “double standards” on how it polices protests.
She added: “The sick, inflammatory and, in some cases, clearly criminal chants, placards and paraphernalia openly on display at the march mark a new low. Antisemitism and other forms of racism together with the valorising of terrorism on such a scale is deeply troubling.”
Some have accused Ms Braverman of inflaming tensions, leading to more people descending on the capital.
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‘The govt made it harder for police’
More than 140 people were arrested in the disorder, both on the pro-Palestinian side and the far-right counter-protest side.
The Met Police’s deputy assistant commissioner, Laurence Taylor, said the force faced a “really challenging day” dealing with the protests.