UK prime minister Rishi Sunak has “grown a backbone” by sacking Suella Braverman as home secretary, Sadiq Khan said following the sudden cabinet reshuffle. The Labour mayor of London told Times Radio, “It’s just great to see that the prime minister has finally grown a backbone. I think some of the words, action and behaviour from Suella Braverman over the course of the last couple of weeks has been astonishing. I’ve never known a Home Secretary to undermine the police in the way she has sought to do so.”
Read more: ‘Enough is enough, time to go’: Rishi Sunak hit by first no-confidence letter
Last weekend, Sadiq Khan accused Suella Braverman of stirring up the far-Right and said violent clashes involving counter-protesters on Armistice Day were a “direct result” of her words after she had accused the Metropolitan Police of bias towards “pro-Palestinian mobs”.
Rishi Sunak had also condemned the violent clashes involving far-right and extremist groups. The Metropolitan Police made 126 arrests as counter-protesters clashed with officers in central London. Around 300,000 pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched through the streets of Britain's capital as police later issued images of suspects wanted for extremist actions and displaying racially offensive banners.
"I condemn the violent, wholly unacceptable scenes we have seen from the EDL [English Defence League] and associated groups and Hamas sympathisers attending the National March for Palestine. The despicable actions of a minority of people undermine those who have chosen to express their views peacefully,” Rishi Sunak said in a statement.
"Remembrance weekend is a time for us to come together as a nation and remember those who fought and died for our freedoms. What we have seen today does not defend the honour of our Armed Forces, but utterly disrespects them. That is true for EDL thugs attacking police officers and trespassing on the Cenotaph, and it is true for those singing antisemitic chants and brandishing pro-Hamas signs and clothing on today’s protest,” he continued.
{{/usCountry}}"Remembrance weekend is a time for us to come together as a nation and remember those who fought and died for our freedoms. What we have seen today does not defend the honour of our Armed Forces, but utterly disrespects them. That is true for EDL thugs attacking police officers and trespassing on the Cenotaph, and it is true for those singing antisemitic chants and brandishing pro-Hamas signs and clothing on today’s protest,” he continued.
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