D-Day for Suella Braverman? Tories make it ’60/40′ that Rishi Sunak will reshuffle his top team – potentially as soon as today – but Home Secretary’s allies launch last-ditch bid to save her from the sack over ‘common sense’ approach to policing

Suella Braverman’s fate as Home Secretary could be sealed today as her allies rally around her in a last-ditch attempt to save her from the sack. 

Tories make it a 60/40 chance Prime Minister Rishi Sunak could reshuffle his top team with Ms Braverman’s position a hot topic of debate following her controversial comments ahead of the pro-Palestine rallies in central London on Armistice Day. 

The PM remains under pressure to remove his outspoken Home Secretary following a dispute about whether her newspaper article about the police had been authorised by No 10.

But Mrs Braverman’s allies warned that Mr Sunak faced a civil war if he tried to remove her.

Mr Sunak was said to be mulling over the decision whether to remove Ms Braverman, with Michael Gove being touted as a potential successor in some quarters. 

Her closest ally Sir John Hayes is said to have been circulating a letter to colleagues backing her ‘common sense’ approach to policing and urging them to sign it, according to the Sunday Times.

Suella Braverman’s fate as Home Secretary could be sealed with her allies rallying around her in a last-ditch attempt to save her from the sack

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is mulling over whether to shake up his Cabinet with him being warned he could spark a civil war within the Tory party if he removes Ms Braverman

Sir John did not reveal the contents of his letter backing Ms Braverman, according to The Telegraph, but said: ‘There’s no one better than Suella Braverman to help Rishi Sunak deliver what he has made a defining policy for him and the Government. I am sure they will collaborate to do so.’

Senior Tory sources told The Sun there was a 60/40 chance Mr Sunak could shake up his Cabinet ahead of the ruling on the Rwanda scheme on Wednesday, which has been championed by Ms Braverman.

Yesterday, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps failed to back Mrs Braverman’s long-term survival in her job, saying ‘a week’s a long time in politics’.

Asked about a potential reshuffle, Mr Shapps told Sky News: ‘The makeup of the cabinet is entirely a matter for the prime minister. He will decide that in his own time.’ 

Pressed on whether Ms Braverman would be home secretary this time next week, he said: ‘As you and I know well, a week is a long time in politics and I never make predictions about these things.’ 

The Home Secretary said on Saturday pro-Palestine marches ‘polluting’ the streets with hate ‘can’t go on’, following ugly scenes at the weekend. 

She condemned the ‘valorising of terrorism’ on Armistice Day and said further action was needed to stop it.

More than 100 arrests were made after clashes involving far-Right groups and pro-Palestine protesters in central London on Saturday.

Mrs Braverman’s intervention came after she clashed with Downing Street over a article in The Times, which critics said inflamed tensions.

Many Tory MPs are furious with her handling of the situation, including breaking collective responsibility by failing to get Downing Street sign-off the outspoken story.

Ahead of Saturday’s protest, the Home Secretary branded it a ‘hate march’ and accused officers of ‘playing favourites’ with protesters. Last night, amid rumours of a Cabinet reshuffle, she doubled down on her comments.

Pro-Palestine protesters on Vauxhall Bridge at the weekend. Ms Braverman sparked controversy following her outspoken newspaper article ahead of the protest

In uncompromising language, Mrs Braverman tweeted that chants, placards and posters carried by some protesters were ‘clearly criminal’ and marked a ‘new low’.

She added: ‘Anti-Semitism and other forms of racism together with the valorising of terrorism on such a scale is deeply troubling.

‘This can’t go on. Week by week, the streets of London are being polluted by hate, violence, and anti-Semitism. Members of the public are being mobbed and intimidated. Jewish people in particular feel threatened. Further action is necessary.’   

Last night a Home Office source said Mrs Braverman’s statement that ‘this can’t go on’ is a reference to shortcomings in the current law on protests and public order. 

‘This is not about the Met. If there are issues with the legal framework they are working within, then that is a matter for us and not for them,’ the source said.

‘It’s about looking at what we can do to help.’

Keir Starmer and Sadiq Khan have stepped up calls for Ms Braverman to be sacked.

Mr Khan said it was ‘disturbing’ to see the violence towards police and if the PM does not sack Ms Braverman, ‘he’s too weak or agrees with her’.

‘Sadly, these scenes were predictable after a week of efforts from some to stoke tension,’ Mr Khan wrote in the Sunday Mirror.

‘They were a direct result of the Home Secretary’s words and behaviour.’

‘If Suella Braverman had any honour she would resign – and if not, Rishi Sunak should sack her.’

Sir Keir said few public figures ‘have done more recently to whip up division’ than the Home Secretary.

The Labour leader said some among the pro-Palestinian demonstrators incited violence, glorified Hamas or called for Israel’s destruction and ‘should be dealt with firmly by the law’.

But he said blanket calls to cancel the rallies and Government attempts to brand protesters they do not agree with as extremists are ‘a sign of ministers’ cowardice’.

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