Rishi Sunak could go to Cop27 climate summit, minister Mark Spencer says
Suella Braverman will make a statement to the House of Commons this afternoon as she battles scandal on two fronts.
The home secretary earlier apologised for using her personal email to send government documents, though she claimed her behaviour “did not pose any risk to national security”.
In a letter to the Home Affairs Select Committee, Ms Braverman apologised for the “mistakes” which led her to resign as home secretary in the dying days of Liz Truss’s government, while revealing she inappropriately used her personal account on six occasions in total.
Meanwhile, allies of former home secretary Priti Patel suggested Ms Braverman was to blame for overcrowding at a troubled Kent asylum facility, after a Tory MP accused ministers of driving down conditions for migrants in order to make Britain seem less appealing.
The Manston short-stay centre is running at more than double its capacity with outbreaks of diseases including diphtheria and MRSA, leading to calls for Ms Patel and Ms Braverman to answer for the state of the facility.
Ms Braverman is expected in the Commons at 17.30.
Rishi Sunak decision to skip Cop27 climate summit ‘under review’
The decision for Rishi Sunak to skip the crucial climate summit in Egypt next week is “under review” (Saphora Smith writes).
The prime minister’s official spokesperson told reporters on Monday that a call will be made depending on how much progress the new prime minister makes on the de facto budget slated to take place on 17 November.
“The prime minister is focused on pressing domestic issues, most significantly preparing for the autumn statement, so any attendance at Cop would depend on progress on preparation for that fiscal event, and that work is ongoing,” he said.
‘Home secretaries have to obey the law’
Former Home Office mandarin Sir David Normington said if Suella Braverman had deliberately decided not to book hotels to address overcrowding at Manston it could be another breach of the ministerial code.
Sir David, who was the department’s permanent secretary from 2005 to 2011, told BBC Radio 4’s World at One that he hoped Ms Braverman would give a full account of the situation.
“If it was deliberate, it’s a very serious matter,” he said. “It’s potentially another breach of the ministerial code because home secretaries, ministers, have to obey the law.
“They mustn’t knowingly disobey or break the law. It’s a serious matter but we don’t know the facts and we will hear from the home secretary this afternoon.”
What time will Suella Braverman’s statement be?
Suella Braverman’s statement is expected around 5.15pm this afternoon:
Latest pictures from Manston asylum centre
Photographs from the Manston short-term holding centre this morning show migrants held behind the fences of the Kent facility.
Detainees at Manston this morning
” height=”726″ width=”982″ layout=”responsive” class=”i-amphtml-layout-responsive i-amphtml-layout-size-defined” i-amphtml-layout=”responsive”> Detainees at Manston this morning
Child detainees look out a fence at Manston
” height=”726″ width=”982″ layout=”responsive” class=”i-amphtml-layout-responsive i-amphtml-layout-size-defined” i-amphtml-layout=”responsive”> Child detainees look out a fence at Manston
Hands of detainees reach through a fence at Manston
” height=”726″ width=”982″ layout=”responsive” class=”i-amphtml-layout-responsive i-amphtml-layout-size-defined” i-amphtml-layout=”responsive”> Hands of detainees reach through a fence at Manston
Priti Patel blames Suella Braverman for failure to prevent Kent asylum centre crisis
Priti Patel is blaming her successor Suella Braverman for the failure to take steps to prevent the Kent asylum centre crisis, piling further pressure on the home secretary.
The Home Office has been accused by a Tory MP of a “deliberate” decision to allow dangerous overcrowding at the Manston site, possibly to send a harsh message to would-be refugees.
Now Ms Patel has made known she did book hotel rooms for asylum seekers while in charge of the Home Office – raising the question of why the practice stopped when Ms Braverman took over last month.
“There was never any overcrowding when she was there. What would happen was, if it got to the point where people were getting worried about conditions, we would sign off on more hotels,” a source close to Ms Patel said.
The letter sent by Suella Braverman to the home affairs committee explaining her sending of official documents to her personal email account includes details of all six occassions she admitted to.
Braverman due in Commons this afternoon
Suella Braverman is due to appear in the House of Commons later today after she gave further details of the breach of the ministerial code which triggered her resignation as home secretary under Liz Truss.
She is expected to take questions on the matter, as well as on the issues at the Manston migrant processing centre.
Rishi Sunak has ‘full confidence’ in beleaguered home secretary Suella Braverman
Prime minister Rishi Sunak has “full confidence” in his home secretary Suella Braverman, Downing Street has said (Andrew Woodcock writes).
The statement came as Ms Braverman was embroiled in two rows, over leaks from her mobile phone and deteriorating conditions at the Manston processing centre for migrants in Kent.
She is expected to address parliament and take questions from MPs on both issues this afternoon.
Suella Braverman should explain email scandal in Commons
Home Affairs Select Committee chair Dame Diana Johnson said Suella Braverman needs to come to the House of Commons to explain her position.
The home secretary today wrote to the committee to admit sending sensitive government information to her personal email account – in a scandal that led to her resignation in the final days of Liz Truss’s government.
Dame Johnson told Times Radio: “I think she needs to come today to the House of Commons. I don’t think she needs to be summoned.
“I think she needs to decide she’s coming herself and she’s going to make a statement and deal with all of these issues and questions that have been rising up over the last few weeks since she was reappointed.
“She’s got to deal with this because until this is dealt with, she can’t get on and do the job of Home Secretary.”
Suella Braverman admits sending six emails from her personal account
The Home Secretary has admitted sending official documents to her personal email address on six different occasions (Jon Stone writes).
Suella Braverman claimed that the documents “did not pose any risk to national security” and were not secret or top secret.
It comes after she resigned from her role for sending files outside of government – before being reappointed six days later.
Ms Braverman said the documents were “related to public lines to take in interviews” or took place when she was conducting meetings virtually.
In a letter to the chair of the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee Suella Braverman outlined further details of the breach of the ministerial code which triggered her previous resignation.
