enquiries@bremaininspain.com
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Instagram
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Instagram
  • About
    • Bremain History
    • The Bremain Team
    • Members’ Issues & Anxieties
    • Our Mission
    • Our Stories
    • Members’ Gallery
      • Mike Parker’s Story
      • Martin Robinson’s Story
      • Sandra’s Stretton’s Story
      • Mike Zollo’s Story
    • The Local ES
  • Events 2025
  • Bremainers Ask
  • What’s New
    • News
    • Articles
    • Events 2025
    • British Embassy Updates
      • Bremain Glossary of Terms
  • Resources
    • Pro-EU Groups
    • How the WA affects you!
    • Government
      • Official Negotiation Links
    • Support & Advice
  • What Can I Do?
    • Donate
    • Votes for Life – Improving Representation for Brits Abroad
    • Write to Politicians
  • Donate
  • Get in Touch
Bremain in Spain
  • Home
  • About
    • Our Mission
    • The Bremain Team
    • Members’ Gallery
      • Mike Parker’s Story
      • Martin Robinson’s Story
      • Sandra’s Stretton’s Story
      • Mike Zollo’s Story
    • Bremain History
    • Our Stories
    • Members’ Issues & Anxieties
    • The Local Articles
  • Events 2025
  • Bremainers Ask
  • Votes for Life
    • V4L matters because…
  • British Embassy Updates
    • Bremain Glossary of Terms
  • What’s New
    • News
    • British Embassy Updates
    • Bremainers Ask
    • Articles
  • Resources
    • Pro-EU Groups
    • How the WA affects you!
    • Government
      • Official Negotiation Links
    • Support & Advice
  • What Can I Do?
    • Donate
    • Write to Politicians
  • Join Us
  • Donate
  • Get in Touch
Select Page

Suella Braverman ‘inflames tensions’ ahead of Remembrance weekend

Nov 10, 2023 | Bylines, News

Home Secretary Suella Braverman’s latest comments suggesting the police ‘play favourites’ with protests draw stark criticism, writes Bremain Chair Sue Wilson MBE for Yorkshire Bylines.

On Thursday 9 November, The Times published an article by the home secretary entitled, ‘Suella Braverman brands Met police biased over pro-Palestinian protest’. The much-criticised article came after days of media speculation regarding a planned march in London this weekend.

Initially, there were concerns that the march would interfere with the Remembrance Day service at the Cenotaph on Sunday. But it soon became clear, to any with their eyes and their hearts open, that the two events were on different days and in different parts of London, so one was unlikely to interfere with the other. The article seems to have been in direct response to Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley’s comments a day earlier that there were insufficient grounds to ban this weekend’s march.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman repeats her assertion that pro-Palestinian protestors are “hate marchers” and accuses police of showing “favouritism”.

Two questions:
1. Did PM sanction this?
2. Can he tolerate a rival leadership campaign in plain sight?https://t.co/BkMiCgouzv

— Paul Brand (@PaulBrandITV) November 8, 2023

In her article, Braverman asks the question, “are some public displays so offensive that they deserve to be banned?” Clearly, she believes the answer to be yes, and that doesn’t apply just to marches. In fact, the list of things that the home secretary finds offensive is a long one, including, not least, the homeless and asylum seekers. What’s worse is she claims to speak on behalf of the “compassionate” British public.

According to the home secretary, the pro-Palestinian movement “has mobilised tens of thousands of angry demonstrators and marched them through London every weekend”. She refuted the claim that the marches were a “cry for help for Gaza” and even accused the march group’s organisers of having links to terrorist organisations, including Hamas. She again used the term “hate marchers”, adding that she did not “resile” from the term

 

Braverman: police ‘playing favourites’

Braverman suggested these events were problematic, not because of the “violence around the fringes” but because of “the highly offensive content of chants, posters and stickers”. She believes “there is a perception that senior police officers play favourites when it comes to protestors”, with the police favouring the left. A claim that Mr. Stop Brexit, Steve Bray, would no doubt dispute most vigorously. She suggested that aggressive right-wing protestors are met with a “stern response” from the police, while their left-wing counterparts are “largely ignored” when displaying the same behaviour. Senior former and serving officers agreed with her that there was a “double standard”, she claimed, though not enough for any of them to have been quoted directly, it would seem.

 

Suella Braverman is "deliberately undermining respect for the police", shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper tells the Commons

She says the home secretary's comments are "irresponsible and dangerous"https://t.co/Xh2HtCujz6 pic.twitter.com/xdc65tuEyI

— BBC Politics (@BBCPolitics) November 9, 2023

Strong criticism from Labour

Shadow Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper, didn’t mince her words. She accused the home secretary of “attacking police impartiality” and “deliberately undermining respect for the police”. Braverman was “deliberately inflaming community tensions in the most dangerous of ways”, and was attacking the police at a time when she should be supporting them.

Cooper described Braverman’s comments as “highly irresponsible and dangerous”, and said that many former police chiefs were lining up to condemn her. She asked if the government “still believe in the operational independence of the police” and questioned whether the prime minister had endorsed the article. If he had done so, or was too weak to sack Braverman, then he had “given up”, and both the prime minister and the home secretary should go.

Chris Bryant described Suella Braverman as “a danger”, adding that her article “imperils good policing” and “inflames an already difficult situation”. He pointed out that only two Conservative MPs spoke in the House of Commons in defence of the home secretary, and only a handful were in attendance. He said not only was there no place for hate on our streets, but there was no place for hate in the Home Office either. The home secretary was trying to “command the police” and was “inciting hatred”.

Shadow Leader of the House, Lucy Powell, called the home secretary “out of control”, “utterly irresponsible” and “unhinged”. Cooper also critici

Chris Bryant; The fact that only 2 Tory MPs turned up to defend Suella Braverman… shows she's already lost the support of the house.. there's no place for hate in the HO.. she's trying to command the police & that completely breaches.. the operational independence of the police pic.twitter.com/EAalO7vDMf

— Haggis_UK 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 (@Haggis_UK) November 9, 2023

What did Downing Street know?

After much speculation on social media, regarding whether the prime minister had endorsed, or even seen, the Times article ahead of publication, Number 10 were forced to issue a statement. Downing Street had not signed off on the content, despite claims from Braverman’s aides to the contrary. Policing Minister, Chris Philps, when asked if Downing Street had approved the article said, “I’m afraid I don’t have any visibility on that at all”. No change there, then.

In fact, Number 10 had reviewed the content – even suggesting “major changes” – but it would appear those suggestions were ignored. The Downing Street response was then quickly followed by suggestions that Braverman was perhaps – not for the first time – in breach of the ministerial code. A Number 10 spokesperson confirmed that “the content was not agreed” and that the matter was being looked into. The ministerial code clearly states that the policy content and timing of all major press releases, interviews and appearances should be cleared by Number 10 “to ensure the effective coordination of cabinet business”.

Sky News confirms Downing Street did not fully sign off the Home Secretary's article in the Times today. It's understood No10 were sent it and suggested changes that were not then carried out, via @SamCoatesSky

— Beth Rigby (@BethRigby) November 9, 2023

No doubt there will be calls for Braverman’s resignation from the Home Office. Again. Even Sunak’s misguided predecessor had the temerity to fire the home secretary during her short reign in Number 10. Of course, it is possible, as many – including Cooper – have suggested, that this is exactly what Braverman wants, so she can openly campaign to be the next leader of the Conservatives/the next prime minister. Though its hard to see how that might look any different from what she’s doing right now.

The home secretary closed her article with, “the public will expect to see an assertive and proactive approach to any displays of hate, breaches of conditions and general disorder”. Perhaps, in the interests of free speech, democracy and tolerance, the police might like to start with the home secretary herself. Surely Braverman has done more to incite hatred, violence and division that any protestor on the streets of London.

JOIN US

https://www.bremaininspain.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/Sue_BremainInSpainHandsFlags_01.png

Search Our Site

Translate this Site

Official Partners

european movement

Members of

Grassroots for Europe

Follow Us on Bluesky

BremainInSpain

@bremaininspain.com

14505 Followers 11324 Following 4480 Posts

A pro-EU campaign group set up to oppose Brexit, protect the rights of British migrants living in Spain/EU & to rejoin. We believe freedom of movement is a force of good; in a democracy free from division & interference; equality.
www.Bremaininspain.com

Latest Posts

BremainInSpain

@bremaininspain.com

See Bluesky Profile
  • Get to this post

    BremainInSpain @bremaininspain.com 7 hours

    More should do this. Politicians, organisations, members of the public

    The over representation of Reform UK reaction to issues, by not just the BBC, but many media outlets, is in plain sight. But the BBC praises itself for impartiality and balance. It’s paid for by public license fees.

    Peter Stefanovic

    The Lib Dems have reported the BBC to Ofcom for giving "undue prominence" to Reform UK in its coverage of the UK-France deal yesterday

  • Get to this post

    BremainInSpain @bremaininspain.com 11 hours

    Last night attended the “Reception with the Ambassadors of the EU and its Member States ” in Manchester ahead of the 4th "EU Citizens' Gathering”. The event celebrated the rich European connections of Greater Manchester..
    www.facebook.com/share/p/1C5e...
  • Get to this post

    BremainInSpain @bremaininspain.com 14 hours

    France launches criminal investigation into Musk’s X over algorithm manipulation
    The probe is based on complaints from a lawmaker and an unnamed senior civil servant.
    www.politico.eu/article/fran...

    France launches criminal investigation into Musk’s X over algorithm manipulation

    The probe is based on complaints from a lawmaker and an unnamed senior civil servant.

    www.politico.eu

  • Data Privacy Policy
  • Join Us
  • Get in Touch
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Instagram
© BremaininSpain.com 2016 - 2025 General Email: enquiries@bremaininspain.com Media: media@bremaininspain.com
Manage Consent

We use cookies to optimise our website and our service.

Functional Always active
The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage {vendor_count} vendors Read more about these purposes
View preferences
{title} {title} {title}