Rishi Sunak is under pressure from opposition MPs and even some Tories to sack Suella Braverman after she defied Downing Street by writing an article accusing police of bias in allowing pro-Palestinian protests.
The home secretary’s claim that some senior officers apparently “play favourites” was not signed off by No 10, the prime minister’s spokesman made clear.
Downing Street says it is investigating how the article containing an inflammatory comparison between “pro-Palestinian mobs” and marches in Northern Ireland was still sent to The Times for publication.
But a spokesman said Mr Sunak still had full confidence in the home secretary.
She claimed “mob” protesters were “largely ignored” by officers “even when clearly breaking the law” before another London rally on Armistice Day.
No 10 contradicted her claims of police bias, and a Tory ex-cabinet minister said many of their peers believed she should be “returned to the backbenches”.
Yvette Cooper and LibDem leader Sir Ed Davey suggested Ms Braverman should be sacked.
Sir Ed said she was “putting police officers in harm’s way” and had significantly increased the risk of violence towards officers.
