Senior police ‘extremely pleased’ about Suella Braverman sacking, ex-Met officer says
Senior police officers are “extremely pleased” Suella Braverman has been sacked from her role as home secretary, a former Metropolitan Police officer has told i.
Ms Braverman was removed from her Cabinet role on Monday morning after she faced widespread criticism for “stoking tensions” ahead of Saturday’s pro-Palestine march that saw counter-protesters clash with police.
Dal Babu, a former chief superintendent, said Ms Braverman’s comments had “totally broken” her relationship with the police.
The former home secretary had suggested in an article published in The Times that senior police officers “play favourites when it comes to protesters”.
Mr Babu said: “I think her attempt to interfere in operational policing was unprecedented.
“I’ve spoken to some senior serving officers who are extremely pleased that she has gone. And I think what almost all of them have said is that she didn’t bring anything to the party, she didn’t add any value to policing. It was almost as if it was all about her and she was desperate to get headlines, and sometimes you needed to bring people together.”
Mr Babu added that there was a belief among officers that Ms Braverman showed favouritism towards chief constables who were right of centre.
He said her replacement, former foreignsSecretary James Cleverly, “really needs to understand the importance of community cohesion”.
His comments come after serving police officers called for Ms Braverman to go ahead of Saturday’s march, stating that they and their colleagues had “no faith whatsoever” in her, accusing the former homesSecretary of putting them in danger.
One serving Met officer told i on Friday: “I think she’s very divisive and I would suggest that she needs to go.”
Nine officers were injured during Armistice Day policing operations in central London, with two requiring hospital treatment.
“Those officers were injured on Whitehall as they prevented a violent crowd getting to the Cenotaph while a remembrance service was taking place,” Metropolitan Police assistant commissioner Matt Twist said in a statement on Saturday night.
He added: “I am extremely proud of what our officers have achieved in challenging circumstances, including the many officers who came from across the country to help us keep London safe.”
