Suella Braverman quits as UK Home Secretary

Suella Braverman has reportedly departed as UK Home Secretary, just five days after Kwasi Kwarteng was sacked as Chancellor of the Exchequer.

It is believed that Ms Braverman resigned after sending an official document from her personal email in a breach of government security rules.

In a resignation letter sent to Prime Minister Liz Truss, Ms Braverman said:

“I have made a mistake; I accept responsibility; I resign.”

She also expressed “concerns about the direction of this government”.

The PM is intending to appoint former transport secretary Grant Shapps to the role.

In her letter, Ms Braverman said: “Earlier today, I sent an official document from my personal email to a trusted parliamentary colleague as part of policy engagement, and with the aim of garnering support for government policy on migration.

“This constitutes a technical infringement of the rules.

“As you know, the document was a draft Written Ministerial Statement about migration, due for publication imminently.

“Much of it had already been briefed to MPs. Nevertheless, it is right for me to go.

“As soon as I realised my mistake, I rapidly reported this on official channels and informed the Cabinet Secretary.

“As Home Secretary, I hold myself to the highest standards and my resignation is the right thing to do.

“The business of government relies upon people accepting responsibility for their mistakes.

“Pretending we haven’t made mistakes, carrying on as if everyone can’t see that we have made them, and hoping that things will magically come right is not serious politics.”

Suella Braverman was seen entering 10 Downing Street at around 1 pm on October 19, leaving approximately 30 minutes later.

Ms Braverman was only appointed by Ms Truss 43 days ago.

In response to Ms Braverman, the PM said:

“I accept your resignation and respect the decision you have made.

“It is important that the Ministerial Code is upheld, and that Cabinet confidentiality is respected.”

During her time, the ex-attorney general had been at the centre of several controversies.

This included calling Indians the “largest group of people who overstay their visas”.

Ms Braverman also pledged to reduce net migration to the UK to tens of thousands a year, a target promised before and generally found to be impossible to achieve.

The Liberal Democrats described Ms Braverman’s exit as the latest in a “carousel of Conservative chaos”.

Lib Dem home affairs spokesperson Alistair Carmichael said:

“This is a government in chaos. People should not be forced to watch the Conservative party implode day after day while real people suffer.

“There is a cost of living catastrophe, health service crisis and now a rudderless Home Office.

“The only solution now is a general election so the public can get off this carousel of Conservative chaos.”