Before what is expected to be one of Britain’s biggest ever days of mass protest on Saturday, allies of Suella Braverman claimed more than 50 Tory MPs were fighting to help her keep her job. Some of the MPs – from hard-right Tory groups labelled “the five families” – are also blaming the chief whip, Simon Hart, for orchestrating a plot to get rid of her.
On the other side, moderate Tory MPs are furious with Braverman for stoking tensions before the pro-Palestinian protest, and are pressing No 10 and the chief whip to sack her, saying failure to act looks like weakness.
Sunak is considering Braverman’s future as home secretary after she defied Downing Street by submitting the controversial piece to the Times without making changes it requested.
The home secretary has kept silent since then, but on Friday met Sir Mark Rowley, the Met commissioner, and issued a statement of support for the police in an apparent attempt to calm the furore and stay in post.
A source close to Braverman said: “The commissioner outlined plans to continue working to maintain public order, ensure compliance with the law and maintain the safety of participants, police officers and the general public.
“The home secretary emphasised her full backing for the police in what will be a complex and challenging situation and expressed confidence that any criminality will be dealt with robustly.”
Since Hamas triggered the war with Israel on 7 October by killing 1,400 people and taking approximately 240 hostages, there have been a series of marches in London and around the UK of up to 100,000 demonstrators.
The protesters have been calling for a ceasefire, with Palestinian officials saying more than 10,000 have been killed in Gaza. The marches have largely been peaceful but there have been some arrests for inciting racial hatred.
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