British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak wielded the axe on his interior minister Suella Braverman in a sweeping cabinet reshuffle in the wake of the latter’s contentious comments on the police's handling of pro-Palestinian marches in London, sparking outrage among opposition lawmakers and even members of Sunak's own Conservative Party.
43-year-old Braverman, a prominent figure known for her hardline conservative stance, faced mounting pressure for her provocative remarks on migrants, protesters, police, and the homeless. The final blow was delivered after she criticized the police's alleged "double standards" in handling protests in an article published by The Times on November 8.
In her piece, Braverman accused the police of applying disparate treatment to right-wing and nationalist protesters compared to pro-Palestinian demonstrators. The article further escalated tensions by alleging links between the protest organizers and terrorist groups, including Hamas. The subsequent pro-Palestinian march on November 11 witnessed clashes between far-right counter-protesters and the police, leading to over 140 arrests.
Braverman's comments drew sharp criticism from both the opposition Labour Party and members of her own Conservative Party. Some Conservative MPs expressed their dismay at Prime Minister Sunak's delay in taking action as well. Sunak then fired her after mounting pressure.
Who is Suella Braverman?
Suella Braverman, a Conservative leader and lawyer, entered the UK Parliament in 2015, later serving as the attorney general for England and Wales from 2020 to 2022. A Brexit advocate, Braverman resigned as a junior minister in the Brexit department under Theresa May, citing dissatisfaction with the proposed deal.
Despite a bid to become the UK Prime Minister in 2022, Braverman lost in the second round and was subsequently appointed as interior minister under then-PM Liz Truss. However, her tenure was cut short by a "technical" breach of government rules, involving the use of a personal email account for official communication.
Indian-origin Braverman has defended British colonialism and adopted a hardline stance on immigration, including supporting deportation to Rwanda.
She studied Law at the University of Cambridge and also has Master's degree studying European and French law at Panthéon-Sorbonne University in Paris.
Born Sue-Ellen Fernandes in 1980, the politician was named after Sue-Ellen Ewing, the matriarch of the show 'Dallas'. Braverman’s parents were of Indian origin. Her father was from Kenya and her Hindu Tamil mother emigrated from Mauritius to London where they met.
She married South African business executive Rael Braverman in 2018.
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