London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Sep 29, 2026

Rishi Sunak defends return of home secretary sacked just a week ago

Rishi Sunak defends return of home secretary sacked just a week ago

Suella Braverman’s reinstatement comes after ‘error of judgment,’ says new PM — as he drops clear hint on fracking policy shift.

Rishi Sunak defended his “unity Cabinet” on Wednesday after coming under fire for reinstating Suella Braverman as the U.K.’s home secretary days after she was forced to resign over a breach of government ethics rules.

Opposition leader Keir Starmer said the post should be held by someone whose “integrity and professionalism are beyond question,” and accused Sunak of doing “a grubby deal trading national security because he was scared to lose another leadership election.”

Braverman, a leading Tory Euroskeptic, was forced to resign from Liz Truss’ Cabinet only last week over her decision to send an unpublished, official Home Office document to a backbench MP — a national security breach of the ministerial code which is meant to police government behavior.

Her endorsement of Sunak in the Tory leadership race over the weekend was seen as crucial in driving momentum behind the new prime minister’s campaign.

Speaking during his first outing in the House of Commons since becoming prime minister, Sunak said Braverman had “made an error of judgment” but said she had “accepted her mistake.” He said he had been delighted to welcome her back into “a united Cabinet that brings experience and stability to the heart of government.”

During a lively first prime minister’s question time, Starmer quipped that the only time Sunak had run in a competitive election he had been “trounced by the former prime minister, who herself got beaten by a lettuce” — a reference to the tabloid stunt which saw Truss’ political survival pitted against the shelf-life of the salad item.

Sunak told MPs he was the “first to admit that mistakes were made” during Truss’ brief tenure and dropped a clear hint that a controversial part of her brief time in office could be junked.

Asked if he would reverse the green light given by the former prime minister to fracking — a method of extracting shale gas disparaged by environmentalists — Sunak told Green MP Caroline Lucas: “I stand by the manifesto on that.” The 2019 Conservative election manifesto said the party would not “support fracking unless the science shows categorically that it can be done safely.”

There was one moment of cross-party unity in the knockabout session: Starmer said Sunak’s appointment as Britain’s first Asian prime minister was “a significant moment in our national story.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Transport for Wales and Network Rail Complete Electrification of South Wales Metro
Defra Expands Incentives for Sustainable Farming and Biodiversity in England
Northern Ireland Executive Approves Funding Package to Resolve Public Sector Pay Disputes
Universities UK Warns of Financial Insolvency Risks for Higher Education Institutions
UK Prisons Activate Emergency Protocols to Manage Capacity Pressures
UK Government Establishes New Safety Standards for Frontier AI Models
Home Office Tightens Skilled Worker Visa Requirements and Dependent Rules
Ministry of Defence Restructures Royal Navy Frigate Procurement to Prevent Overruns
UK Government Mandates New Housing Targets to Address National Shortage
UK and Scottish Governments Reach Agreement on North Sea Energy Transition
NHS Launches Digital Overhaul to Reduce Surgical Backlogs in England
Bank of England Holds Interest Rates as Service Sector Inflation Persists
UK Chancellor Announces Fiscal Consolidation Measures to Stabilize National Debt
RNLI Chief Executive Condemns Misinformation and Abuse Targeting Volunteer Crews
Metropolitan Police Charge Swindon Man with Assisting Foreign Intelligence Services
British Intelligence Report Warns Environmental Collapse Threatens Global Defense Infrastructure
Conservative Party Rejects New Taxes to Fund UK Social Care Reforms
Labour Government Signals Intent to Ease Residency Restrictions for Foreign Care Workers
Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Støre Meet to Strengthen North Atlantic Defense
UK Government Plans to Revive Equity Loan Scheme to Assist First-Time Home Buyers
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Pledges Radical Reform for UK Utilities and Social Care
UK Treasury Prepares Difficult Autumn Budget Amid High Debt and Energy Volatility
Civil Aviation Authority Launches Review of Air Traffic Systems Following Digital Failure
X Reports First Increase in UK Revenues Following Advertiser Boycott
Shetland Islands Council Approves £400 Million Inter-Island Tunnel Project
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband Warns Iran Against Hostile Activities on British Soil
UK Ministers Concede Chagos Islands Sovereignty Agreement Terminated After US Opposition
More in Common Poll Projects Hung Parliament with Labour Leading and Reform UK Gains
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Defends Economic Strategy as Public Finances Face Headwinds
Tony Blair Urges Government to Set Long-Term Goal of Rejoining the European Union
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Pledges Universal Free Social Care Funded Through General Taxation
UK Diesel and Petrol Prices Surge Near All-Time Highs Amid Middle East Energy Volatility
Analysis of Reform UK conference highlights deep political divisions over welfare and immigration
Bangladesh garment exports to the United Kingdom reach $915 million in early fiscal year
Royal Navy begins sea trials for new HMS Agamemnon hunter-killer submarine
New report suggests UK data centre expansion will create far fewer jobs than predicted
Major weekend closures announced for London Underground Piccadilly and Central lines
NHS leaders call for emergency winter funding to combat staffing shortages and rising illness
Far-right activist Daniel Thomas charged following alleged slashing of migrant dinghy
Home Secretary orders urgent review of border security following rise in small boat crossings
Prime Minister Andy Burnham to address Labour Party conference amid calls for long-term infrastructure plan
UK Treasury and Bank of England warn of rising inflation risks amid Middle East tensions
Royal Navy Diving Squadron Honoured for Global Bomb Disposal Efforts
UK State Pension Set to Approach £13,000 Per Year Under Triple-Lock
Rolls-Royce Wins Multi-Million-Pound Engine Contract with Philippine Airlines
TfL Questions Future of Heathrow Express Amid Proposed £33 Billion Expansion
Ed Miliband Warns Iran Against Hostile Operations on British Soil
S&P Global Manufacturing Index Signals Stabilization Amid Rising Fuel Costs
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Launches National Centre for Information Defence
UK Food and Drink Trade Deficit Surges to £21.1 Billion
×