UK PM Rishi Sunak sacks interior minister Suella Braverman over protest comments

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak sacked his interior minister, Suella Braverman, on Monday, a government source said, part of a wider reshuffle after she criticised the police’s handling of a pro-Palestinian march.

Under fire from opposition lawmakers and members of his own governing Conservative Party to eject Braverman, Sunak moved against his interior minister, asking her “to leave government” which she had accepted, the source said.

The political editor of the Sun tabloid said Foreign Secretary James Cleverly would replace her.

As Sunak started to reshuffle his ministerial team, former prime minister David Cameron was seen walking into Downing Street, sparking speculation that he would return to government.

Last week, Braverman defied Sunak by publishing an article accusing the police of adopting “double standards” in its treatment of protests – an argument opposition Labour said inflamed tensions at a pro-Palestinian demonstration on Saturday.

Then more than 140 people were arrested after far-right counter protesters skirmished with police, who tried to keep them away from the 300,000 pro-Palestinian marchers.

Sunak is expected to carry out a wider number of changes in his cabinet, bringing in allies and removing some ministers who his Downing Street office say have not been performing as well as he wanted in their departments.