Suella Braverman ‘runs away’ from parliament as minister confirms she will not be investigated

Suella Braverman will not be investigated over alleged security breaches and violations of the ministerial code.

A minister told parliament that even if Rishi Sunak appoints a new independent adviser, it would “not be proper” for them to probe “events in the last administration”.

The newly reappointed home secretary was accused of “running away” from an urgent question on her appointment, leaving the House of Commons chamber minutes before it began.

There were shouts of “where is she?” from the opposition benches as Cabinet Office minister Jeremy Quin stood to answer questions on Wednesday afternoon.

He told MPs that it was the new prime minister’s “intention” to appoint a new Independent Adviser on Ministers' Interests, after two resigned under Boris Johnson.

But asked whether they would then investigate Ms Braverman, he replied: “Events in the last administration would not properly be part of the remit of a new independent adviser.

“That was a matter that was dealt with by the previous administration. We have a new administration and the home secretary has been appointed to her post.”

Ms Braverman resigned from government last Wednesday, saying in a letter to then-prime minister Liz Truss that she “sent an official document from my personal email to a trusted parliamentary colleague as part of policy engagement, and with the aim of garnering support for government policy on migration”.

She said the document was a draft written ministerial statement on migration and that she reported the breach “as soon as I realised my mistake”.

“The business of government relies upon people accepting responsibility for their mistakes,” she wrote.

“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.”

Questions have emerged over her account and opposition parties have demanded answers on whether there were other security or ministerial code breaches.

Asking an urgent question in the House of Commons, the shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said she had “breached core professional standards and has now run away from accountability in this house”.

The Labour MP demanded an urgent investigation of “security breaches to see how many others there have been”.

“She has been attorney general, she knows the rules,” Ms Cooper said.

“How is anyone supposed to believe that she’s such a novice she didn't know what she was doing? And if she is such a novice, how are the rest of us supposed to trust her with our national security?”

Mr Quin said the home secretary had “made an error of judgement, she recognised her mistake and took responsibility for her actions” by resigning from the Truss government last week.

“The prime minister has looked again and decided she will return to government,” he added.

“At the end of the day it’s very simple, the home secretary made a mistake … this government will have integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level.”

Mr Sunak deflected repeated questions on Ms Braverman’s appointment during his first prime minister’s question time.

Ian Blackford, the Commons leader of the Scottish National Party, accused the prime minister of making a “sleazy backroom deal to shore up his position” and ensure Ms Braverman’s backing during his second leadership race.

There was shock and disquiet among civil servants over Ms Braverman’s appointment, just days after Grant Shapps had been given a cautious welcome.

Priti Patel was found to have breached the ministerial code by bullying staff in 2020, but was kept in her post by Mr Johnson - prompting the first of two resignations by ethics advisers.

The FDA union, which represents civil servants, said Ms Braverman’s return sent a “worrying message” on standards and national security.

“Standards matter, and the clear signal from her appointment is that ministers can act with impunity if it suits the prime minister,” general secretary Dave Penman added.

He said that civil servants “would rightly expect to face the harshest of penalties, including losing their security clearance” for the same actions as the home secretary.

The general secretary of the PCS union, which also represents Home Office staff, said: “It beggars belief that a minister who lost her job just days ago for breaching ministerial rules can be welcomed back into government as if nothing happened.”