Suella Braverman meets Met chief amid Tory row over protest article | Politics News
Suella Braverman has met the head of the Metropolitan Police to offer the force her “full backing” ahead of controversial pro-Palestine protests taking place this weekend.
On Wednesday, the home secretary wrote an article for The Times newspaper – which was not signed off by Number 10 – attacking the force for “playing favourites” with left wing protesters, and accusing them of “double standards”.
It followed her earlier remarks describing the demonstrations as “hate marches”.
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Ms Braverman’s comments have ignited a row within the Conservative Party, with some backing the home secretary, while others are calling for her to resign or be sacked.
Opposition parties also accused her of picking a fight with the police, and demanded she be ousted from the Home Office.
Now in an apparent climb down, the minister has met with the head of the force, Sir Mark Rowley, with a source close to Ms Braverman saying she “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”.
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‘We can’t enforce taste or decency’
The prime minister has been under increasing pressure to take action over Ms Braverman’s comments about this weekend’s protests that coincide with Armistice Day.
While the pro-Palestinian march is not set to take place until almost two hours after the nation holds a two-minute silence, and is not due to go to past the Cenotaph in Whitehall, some – including the home secretary – have branded the event offensive and inappropriate.
Sir Mark was summoned to Downing Street earlier in the week to discuss policing of the march with Rishi Sunak, who vowed to hold the most senior office in the UK “accountable” for what happens on Saturday.
But, despite airing his own concerns about the protest – calling it “disrespectful” – the prime minister conceded there was “a right to peacefully protest” and the march could go ahead.
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Met Police chief ‘accountable’ over protest
The Met chief stood by his decision to let the protest take place throughout the week, saying the “legal threshold” to stop it on security grounds “had not been met”.
However, despite the statements from both Mr Sunak and Sir Mark, the home secretary took to the papers to express her anger at the force’s actions – and publicly contradict her party leader.
After causing a rift within the Conservatives – brought into sharp focus by WhatsApp messages leaked to Sky News – Ms Braverman now appears to be attempting to smooth over relations with the Met.
A source close to her said: “The home secretary and the commissioner of the Metropolitan Police met this afternoon to discuss the policing of demonstrations to be held tomorrow, on Armistice Day.
“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.”
Will climbdown be enough to keep Braverman in post?
While we haven’t yet heard directly from Suella Braverman, the language being used by a source close to the home secretary this evening suggests something of a climbdown and an attempt to make amends with the Metropolitan Police.
After accusing officers of being too lenient with pro-Palestinian protestors earlier this week, we’re now told she has “emphasised her full backing” for the force and “expressed confidence that any criminality will be dealt with robustly”.
That is a marked change in tone from the broadside levelled at the Met just days ago.
So what’s going on?
Downing Street and the broader government machine have made no secret of their unhappiness with the home secretary’s latest intervention.
While the prime minister is said to still have confidence in Ms Braverman, senior ministers have distanced themselves from their colleague and Number 10 has pointedly briefed that it did not sign off the article.
In other words, there was a distinct impression that this time she may have gone too far and, as such, put her job at risk.
Could the threat of being sacked have forced this change in tone? Maybe. But there’s also the practical context to this.
The home secretary’s controversial remarks risked undermining officers and inflaming tension at protests tomorrow. So this could also be a somewhat belated attempt to calm the situation down.
But whether it will be enough to actually keep Suella Braverman in her post remains to be seen.
Earlier on Friday, the Met released details of the “significant” operation it planned to run in London over the weekend to ensure Remembrance services are protected from disruption by both the march and any counter-protests, which some fear may be held by the far right.
The force said more than 2,000 officers will be on the streets, an exclusion zone had been set up around Whitehall – where Sunday’s main Remembrance event will take place – and putting a 24-hour police presence around the Cenotaph.
In a lengthy statement, they added: “We’ll be using an extensive set of powers to prevent any disruption whatsoever to Remembrance events, policing the demonstration as it passes through parts of the capital, while protecting our communities from those intent on inciting hate, violence and disorder.”
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Braverman asked if she will resign
Shortly before news broke of Ms Braverman’s meeting, the prime minister also issued a statement saying he had been “reassured” by the police over their operation that Remembrance services would be protected.