Suella Braverman – latest: Tory civil war over home secretary police row as Sunak urged to sack her

We are going to pause this blog as the pro-Palestine protest begins.

Stay updated with the latest from the march with our liveblog.

Karl Turner said Suella Braverman should be sacked for “revving up far right yobs to come out and pollute our streets by spewing their vile hatred on Armistice Day”.

The Labour MP told The Independent: “It is a wonder that Braverman hasn’t reserved a balcony viewing spot from Whitehall so she could take a bow to those yobs she’s brought out.

“Rishi Sunak should have sacked her already but should now, he needs to apologise for what his inaction has allowed to happen and then call the general election.

“We need a prime minister in charge of his own government ministers not bossed around by dangerous and thuggish ministers like Braverman.”

Humza Yousaf has called on the home secretary to quit for “emboldening” far-right protestors on Armistice Day.

The Scottish first minister said attacks on the police mean Ms Braverman’s position is “untenable”.

He said on X: “The far-right has been emboldened by the Home Secretary. She has spent her week fanning the flames of division. They are now attacking the Police on Armistice Day.

“The Home Secretary’s position is untenable. She must resign.”

Braverman was so anxious to make a point about the threat of this march that she almost threw the entire unionist tradition of Northern Ireland under the bus to do it, Claire Morrison writes:

If you mention Northern Irish politics to people in Britain, their reactions range from trepidation to exasperation. I understand (just try living here). We have a mandatory coalition in Stormont, which is currently collapsed (again), some of our MPs don’t take their seats in Westminster but are still MPs, and the different political identities at play are best represented in a 4D graph.

To be perfectly honest, when it comes to people outside Northern Ireland understanding what happens here, my expectations are through the floor. I’m wrapping up my PhD on Ulster identities and I find it a bit much at times, so I assume nothing of people who aren’t working in the field.

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British Muslim communities have said they feel “betrayed” by the government and the Labour Party over the UK’s response to the war in Gaza.

Despite widespread pleas to demand a ceasefire as the death toll in Gaza reportedly exceeds 10,000, Rishi Sunak has not only refused to do so but sacked a Tory MP calling for one. Home secretary Suella Braverman has been accused of stirring up division as she persistently brands pro-Palestine protests “hate marches” and “mobs”.

Sir Keir Starmer sparked outrage soon after the 7 October attacks that reportedly left 1,400 people dead in Israel, after comments suggesting Israel had the right to cut off water and energy to Gaza. He clarified his views 10 days later, insisting: “I was not saying that Israel had the right to cut off water, food, fuel or medicines.”

But the damage appeared to be done; a recent survey by Muslim Census of 29,000 responses suggests 66 per cent of Muslim voters would no longer back Labour in the next general election.

Dr Haitham Al-Haddad, chair of the Fatwa Committee for The Islamic Council of Europe, told The Independent Muslim communities feel “disappointed and disheartened” by the government’s attitudes towards the invasion in Gaza.

“It is not just because we are talking about Palestinians or Muslims,” he said. “But we are talking about human beings and children who have been killed in front of the entire world.”

Johnny Mercer has said he is not worried about violence erupting at pro-Palestine protests in London today.

The veterans minister said he and the prime minister have “worked hard with the police” this week and “they have the full powers they need”.

“Nobody is going anywhere near the Cenotaph,” he told Sky News.

“Clearly we believe in the rights of people to protest, and my message is that London is fully open and welcoming for all those who want to come up this weekend,” he said.

A cache of leaked WhatsApp messages lay bare the scale of Tory in-fighting over Suella Braverman’s stance on pro-Palestine protests in London on Saturday and her attacks on police.

A group of backbench Conservative MPs have rounded on the home secretary, accusing her of “undermining public confidence in policing”.

But backers of Ms Braverman have hit back, accusing critics of “public carping”.

Ms Braverman is under fire for an incendiary article in The Times on Wednesday in which she accused the police of bias over the pro-Palestine protest, prompting calls from senior Tories for her to be sacked.

Archie Mitchell reports:

Suella Braverman has been accused of “fanning the flames of hate” towards Muslims after her attacks on pro-Palestine rallies prompted a furious outcry over concerns she is fuelling “hatred and division”.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on British Muslims, a cross-party committee of MPs, hit out at the home secretary’s rhetoric, which has seen her describe the demonstrations as “hate marches”, warning she is “inspiring far-right” to engage in Islamophobia.

Ms Braverman’s job is on the line after Downing Street made clear that it had not approved an extraordinary article in which she accused officers of playing favourites by tolerating the Armistice Day march while using stronger tactics against right-wing protests, with senior Tories urging Mr Sunak to sack her.