From Sardar Shahab
LONDON: British prime minister Rishi Sunak faced criticism Tuesday for bringing back Indian-origin Suella Braverman as the home secretary in his newly-formed cabinet.
A couple of hours after he promised the party with “professionalism and accountability”, Sunak reappointed Braverman who was sacked by ex-PM Lizz Truss for a technical breach of government rules. Her reinstatement drew criticism from across the country, especially from the opposition Labour Party.
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper alleged that Sunak was putting his party ahead of the country. “She resigned for breaches of the ministerial code, security lapses, sending sensitive government information through unauthorised personal channels,” Cooper told media.
Caroline Lucas, a Member of Parliament pointed out Braverman’s acts that led to her resignation a week ago. She wrote: “Rishi Sunak at lunchtime: ‘This government will have integrity, professionalism and accountability at every level. Rishi Sunak in the afternoon: *re-appoints Suella Braverman*.”
Steve Peers, a professor at the University of Essex, called it a “truly terrible appointment”. Social media users have called the step “disgraceful”, “disgusting”, and even “distressing” and “depressing”.
“The silver of hope is already being dashed,” a Twitter user said. “Any credibility for him now has gone!” added another. Labour MP Chris Bryant said the reappointing Braverman was not “sensible”. Many have been shocked and appalled by the news. Sunak or the party have not yet commented on the matter.
Meanwhile, Rishi Sunak on Wednesday delayed the announcement of a keenly awaited plan for repairing the country’s public finances until Nov. 17, two-and-a-half weeks later than previously planned.
The postponement, Sunak’s first policy decision since taking over from Liz Truss on Tuesday, briefly raised British borrowing costs in financial markets but there was no repeat of the panic bond selling caused by Truss’s September tax-cutting plan.
Sunak takes on an economy facing recession at a time when the Bank of England is raising interest rates to tame double-digit inflation. Low growth and rising borrowing costs have worsened the strain on already-stretched public finances.
The government is drawing up spending cuts and cancelling tax cuts just as the rising cost of mortgages, food, fuel and heating is squeezing many household budgets to their limits.
“I have been honest. We will have to take difficult decisions to restore economic stability and confidence,” Sunak told parliament, promising to protect the most vulnerable. “The Chancellor (Jeremy Hunt) will set that out in an autumn statement in just a few weeks.”
Finance minister Hunt said more time was needed to ensure the new plan took into account new economic forecasts. It is expected to set out how the government will plug a budget shortfall of as much as 40 billion pounds ($46 billion). Unlike Truss’s plan last month, it will be fully audited by Britain’s fiscal watchdog.
