Members of the New Conservatives Group, made up of predominantly Red Wall MPs who won their seats in the 2019 election, held their weekly meeting on Monday night.
A source close to them said: “Across the group, there’s a lot of upset about Suella in particular. But broadly it’s about the overall direction of travel signalled by the six, seven, eight, nine appointments so far in the aggregate.”
Another said any co-ordinated backlash against Mr Sunak’s dramatic reshuffle and Mrs Braverman’s sacking would happen in “slow motion”, and they were happy to let No 10 “have their day”.
Mr Sunak is understood to have spoken to Mrs Braverman over the phone to ask her to resign. There was no exchange of letters between the pair – a highly unusual situation that perhaps highlights the bitterness of the move.
A No 10 source said: “Suella has gone because the Prime Minister wants a united team to deliver the changes this country needs for the long term.”
The public seemed to back Mr Sunak’s decision to sack the home secretary, with 57 per cent of respondents to a snap YouGov poll saying it was the right move, while 20 per cent disagreed. She was replaced by James Cleverly, the former foreign secretary.
Later, Mr Sunak’s press secretary said the Prime Minister believes collective responsibility is a “very important principle” and that senior ministers should always “speak with one voice”.
There were “issues around language” during the former home secretary’s tenure, the press secretary said, adding: “It is clearly very important that we have a united and strong team at the top of Government. I would say there were differences of style and it’s right that we can move forward now and focus on what matters to people.”
William Turner is a seasoned U.K. correspondent with a deep understanding of domestic affairs. With a passion for British politics and culture, he provides insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage of events within the United Kingdom.
