Braverman accuses Sunak of ‘failing to rise to challenge posed by vicious antisemitism’
In damning letter to the prime minister, the former Home Secretary also accuses him of putting off considering laws to ban hate marches 'in order to minimise political risk to yourself'
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
Suella Braverman has accused Rishi Sunak of “failing to rise to the challenge posed by the increasingly vicious antisemitism and extremism displayed on our streets” in a stinging letter made public after her sacking.
The former home secretary also claimed the prime minister had put off considering legislation to ban marches that glorified terrorism “in order to minimise political risk to yourself”.
In damning words she said Sunak’s response to the threat of extremism had been “weak, uncertain and lacking in the qualities of leadership this country needs.”
My letter to the Prime Minister pic.twitter.com/7OBzaZnxr2
— Suella Braverman MP (@SuellaBraverman) November 14, 2023
In a letter to the prime minister, which was also posted on social media, Braverman listed a series of failings she suggested Sunak had been responsible for.
She wrote:”Another cause for disappointment – and the context of my recent article in the Times – has been your failure to rise to the challenge posed by increasingly vicious antisemitism and extremism displayed on Britain’s streets since Hamas’s terrorist atrocities of October 7th.”
Braverman added:” “I have become hoarse urging you to consider legislation to ban the hate marches and help stem the rising tide of racism, intimidation and terrorist glorification threatening community cohesion.”
She claimed Britain was “at a turning point in our history and faces a threat from radicalisation and extremism not seen in 20 years.”
“Rather than fully acknowledge the severity of this threat, your team disagreed with me for weeks that the law needed changing,” she added.
“As on so many other issues, you sought to put off tough decisions in order to minimise political risk to yourself. In doing so you have increased the very real risk these marches present to everyone else.”
The MP for Fareham continued:”I regret to say your response has been weak, uncertain and lacking in the qualities of leadership this country needs.”
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