Suella Braverman accused of ‘multiple breaches’ of ministerial code

Former Tory chairman Sir Jake Berry has claimed Suella Braverman committed ‘multiple breaches of the ministerial code’ as Rishi Sunak faces a backlash over reinstating her Cabinet role.

Ms Braverman became the shortest-serving home secretary in history when she was forced out less than a week ago after admitting to a ‘technical infringement’ of the rules.

But Sir Jake, who left his role as party chairman on Tuesday, alleged there had been ‘multiple breaches’ of the code, which sets out how members of the government must behave – or face punishment.

It comes amid reports Ms Braverman was investigated by government officials as part of an inquiry into the leak of a sensitive story involving the UK’s security services.

Senior civil servants are also reported to have raised concerns with the prime minister over her reappointment as home secretary.

Speaking to TalkTV’s Piers Morgan Uncensored, Sir Jake said: ‘From my own knowledge, there were multiple breaches of the ministerial code.’

Ms Braverman left her role in Ms Truss’s cabinet after she was caught sending veteran backbench Tory Sir John Hayes, a fellow right-winger, an official document from a personal email account.

Suella Braverman leaves after attending the first cabinet meeting under Rishi Sunak in 10 Downing Street (Picture: AFP via Getty Images)

She accidentally copied in someone she believed was Sir John’s wife, but was in fact an aide to Conservative MP Andrew Percy, who raised the alarm.

Ms Braverman argued it was merely a draft written ministerial statement on immigration which had been due for publication imminently.

Allies said she sent it after going on a 4am immigration raid before coming clean about her ‘mistake’, with one adding: ‘She was not expecting at all to be sacked over it.’

But officials said the file was sent much later and that the Cabinet papers had first been forwarded from her ministerial account to a private Gmail account before going elsewhere.

Sir Jake told TalkTV: ‘It was sent from a private email address to another Member of Parliament. She then sought to copy in that individual’s wife and accidentally sent it to a staffer in Parliament.

Sir Jake, who left his role as party chairman on Tuesday, alleged there had been ‘multiple breaches’ of the code (Picture: TalkTV)

‘To me that seems a really serious breach, especially when it was documents relating to cybersecurity, as I believe.

‘That seems a really serious breach. The Cabinet Secretary had his say at the time. I doubt he’s changed his mind in the last six days, but that’s a matter for the new prime minister.’

Ms Braverman said she ‘rapidly reported’ her ‘mistake’ through official channels, and informed Cabinet Secretary Simon Case, as soon as she realised it.

But Sir Jake said: ‘As I understand it, the evidence was put to her and she accepted the evidence, rather than the other way round.’

Labour has demanded an investigation ‘into the extent of this and other possible security breaches’ (Picture: Reuters)

Labour has demanded that Mr Case, who is reportedly ‘livid’ over her swift return and ‘very concerned’ about the breach, launch an investigation ‘into the extent of this and other possible security breaches’.

The Telegraph reports that the First Division Association group representing senior civil servants claimed Ms Braverman’s reappointment smacked of ‘political expediency’.

They said any civil servant acting in the way she had would have lost their security clearance, the newspaper adds.

The Cabinet Office’s Propriety and Ethics Team is also said to have raised concerns about the reappointment.

Ms Braverman was also reportedly probed by government officials as part of an investigation into a leak relating to a story about plans to apply for an injunction against the BBC to bar it identifying a spy accused of abusing his position to terrorise his partner.

She was attorney general at the time, the government’s chief legal advisor, and the person named in the story as seeking the injunction.

The Daily Mail reports that the leak caused ‘concern’ to MI5, but the inquiry ultimately found no ‘conclusive evidence’ of who was behind the leak.

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Ex-Tory chair Jake Berry said: ‘From my own knowledge, there were multiple breaches of the ministerial code.’