Suella Braverman has been made home secretary – again – in a somewhat controversial decision by Rishi Sunak.
The Fareham MP since 2015 was re-appointed on Monday after quitting Liz Truss’s government just six days before, throwing the former PM’s premiership into further chaos.
She resigned from the previous administration after sending an official document from her personal email to a fellow MP and is said to have copied another MP in by mistake.
What is wrong with what she did?
The document was a draft written statement on migration that was deemed highly sensitive as it related to immigration rules, which could have major implications for market-sensitive growth forecasts.
Much of the draft had been briefed to MPs but it was a serious breach of the ministerial code on two accounts – for sharing a statement ahead of time and sending it from a personal account.
Scathing resignation letter
Former barrister and attorney general Mrs Braverman agreed to quit and then published a scathing resignation letter to Ms Truss in which she hinted the then-PM should go as well over mistakes made during her premiership.
“Pretending we haven’t made mistakes, carrying on as if everyone can’t see that we have made them, and hoping that things will magically come right is not serious politics,” she wrote.
“I have made a mistake; I accept responsibility; I resign.”
She also used her letter to raise concerns she had about the government, saying it had “broken key pledges” and she had “serious concerns” about the government’s commitment to honouring manifesto commitments.
Re-appointment criticism
Mrs Braverman’s re-appointment by Rishi Sunak has received severe criticism from opposition MPs and a former sleaze watchdog.
The new prime minister appointed her after promising to lead the Conservative Party with “integrity, professionalism and accountability”.
Labour’s shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper has written to cabinet secretary Simon Case, who determined a security breach had happened, demanding a full investigation into Mrs Braverman’s breach.
And Alistair Graham, former chair of the Committee on Standards in Public Life, said there were questions over whether her appointment was appropriate, especially because the breach was not examined by an ethics adviser.
“Normally the prime minister would have consulted a ministerial adviser for advice,” he said.
“A breach of the ministerial code is seen as a serious matter and would make any minister an inappropriate appointment to one of the four most senior positions in government.”
Foreign Secretary James Cleverly told Sky News Mrs Braverman has apologised for the security breach and Mr Sunak wants to see her agenda played out.
Rwanda and reducing immigration
Mrs Braverman’s return to government has also raised questions about Mr Sunak’s immigration plans and whether he made a deal with her to get her support.
On the right of the party, Mrs Braverman is a key figure in the European Research Group of Tory MPs and the Common Sense Group – both on the right of the party.
She wants to keep net migration to “tens of thousands” and is keen on reducing overall migration, as stipulated in the 2019 Tory manifesto.
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However, Mr Sunak is under pressure from business to ease migration rules to help fill job vacancies and boost growth.
One of Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s main strategies to restore market confidence is to loosen some of those immigration rules so forecasts will have the government hitting growth targets.
Both Mrs Braverman and Mr Sunak are supporters of the Rwanda policy to deport Channel migrants to the east African country.
Mr Sunak said he would do “whatever it takes” to ensure the scheme worked while Mrs Braverman said it is her “dream” and “obsession” to see the first flight take off for Rwanda.
